Cunard Line

Cunard Line

Type	Subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc
Industry	Shipping, transportation
Founded	1840, as the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
Headquarters	Carnival House, Southampton, United Kingdom
Area served	Transatlantic, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Caribbean and World Cruises.
Key people	David Dingle (Chairman) David Noyes (CEO)
Parent	Carnival Corporation & plc
Website	Cunard.com

Cunard Line is a British-American cruise line based at Carnival House at Southampton, England, operated by Carnival UK and owned by Carnival Corporation & plc.^[1]

In 1839 Samuel Cunard, a Prince Edward Island shipowner, was awarded the first British transatlantic steamship mail contract, and the next year formed the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company together with Robert Napier, the famous Scottish steamship engine designer and builder, to operate the line's four pioneer paddle steamers on the Liverpool–Halifax–Boston route. For most of the next 30 years, Cunard held the Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic voyage. However, in the 1870s Cunard fell behind its rivals, the White Star Line and the Inman Line. To meet this competition, in 1879 the firm was reorganised as the Cunard Steamship Company, Ltd, to raise capital.^[2]

In 1902 White Star joined the American-owned International Mercantile Marine Co. and the British Government provided Cunard with substantial loans and a subsidy to build two superliners needed to retain its competitive position. Mauretania held the Blue Riband from 1909 to 1929. The sinking of her running mate Lusitania in 1915 was one of the causes of the United States' entering the First World War. In the late 1920s, Cunard faced new competition when the Germans, Italians and French built large prestige liners. Cunard was forced to suspend construction on its own new superliner because of the Great Depression. In 1934 the British Government offered Cunard loans to finish Queen Mary and to build a second ship, Queen Elizabeth, on the condition that Cunard merged with the then ailing White Star line to form Cunard-White Star Ltd. Cunard owned two-thirds of the new company. Cunard purchased White Star's share in 1947; the name reverted to the Cunard Line in 1950.^[2]

Upon the end of the Second World War, Cunard regained its position as the largest Atlantic passenger line. By the mid-1950s, it operated 12 ships to the United States and Canada. After 1958, transatlantic passenger ships became increasingly unprofitable because of the introduction of jet airliners. Cunard withdrew from its year-round service in 1968 to concentrate on cruising and summer transatlantic voyages for vacationers. The Queens were replaced by Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), which was designed for the dual role.^[3]

In 1998 Cunard was acquired by the Carnival Corporation, and accounted for 8.7% of that company's revenue in 2012.^[4] Five years later, QE2 was replaced on the transatlantic runs by Queen Mary 2 (QM2). The line also operates Queen Victoria (QV) and Queen Elizabeth (QE). At the moment, Cunard is the only shipping company to operate a scheduled passenger service between Europe and North America.

History

Early years: 1840–1850

The British Government started operating monthly mail brigs from Falmouth, Cornwall, to New York in 1756. These ships carried few non-governmental passengers and no cargo. In 1818, the Black Ball Line opened a regularly scheduled New York–Liverpool service with clipper ships, beginning an era when American sailing packets dominated the North Atlantic saloon-passenger trade that lasted until the introduction of steamships.^[2] A Committee of Parliament decided in 1836 that to become more competitive, the mail packets operated by the Post Office should be replaced by private shipping companies. The Admiralty assumed responsibility for managing the contracts.^[5] The famed Arctic explorer Admiral Sir William Edward Parry was appointed as Comptroller of Steam Machinery and Packet Service in April 1837.^[6] Nova Scotians led by their young Assembly Speaker, Joseph Howe, lobbied for steam service to Halifax. On his arrival in London in May 1838, Howe discussed the enterprise with his fellow Nova Scotian Samuel Cunard (1787–1865), a shipowner who was also visiting London on business.^[7] Cunard and Howe were associates and Howe also owed Cunard £300^[8] (equivalent to £24,360 in 2015).^[9] Cunard returned to Halifax to raise capital, and Howe continued to lobby the British government.^[7] The Rebellions of 1837 were ongoing and London realized that the proposed Halifax service was also important for the military.^[10]

That November, Parry released a tender for North Atlantic monthly mail service to Halifax beginning in April 1839 using steamships with 300 horsepower.^[10] The Great Western Steamship Company, which had opened its pioneer Bristol–New York service earlier that year, bid £45,000 for a monthly Bristol–Halifax–New York service using three ships of 450 horsepower. While British American, the other pioneer transatlantic steamship company, did not submit a tender,^[11] the St. George Steam Packet Company, owner of Sirius, bid £45,000 for a monthly Cork–Halifax service^[12] and £65,000 for a monthly Cork–Halifax–New York service. The Admiralty rejected both tenders because neither bid offered to begin services early enough.^[13]

Cunard, who was back in Halifax, unfortunately did not know of the tender until after the deadline.^[11] He returned to London and started negotiations with Admiral Parry, who was Cunard's good friend from when Parry was a young officer stationed in Halifax 20 years earlier. Cunard offered Parry a fortnightly service beginning in May 1840. While Cunard did not then own a steamship, he had been an investor in an earlier steamship venture, Royal William, and owned coal mines in Nova Scotia.^[7] Cunard's major backer was Robert Napier whose Robert Napier and Sons was the Royal Navy's supplier of steam engines.^[11] He also had the strong backing of Nova Scotian political leaders at the time when London needed to rebuild support in British North America after the rebellion.^[10]

Over Great Western's protests,^[14] in May 1839 Parry accepted Cunard's tender of £55,000 for a three-ship Liverpool–Halifax service with an extension to Boston and a supplementary service to Montreal.^[7] The annual subsidy was later raised £81,000 to add a fourth ship^[15] and departures from Liverpool were to be monthly during the winter and fortnightly for the rest of the year.^[2] Parliament investigated Great Western's complaints, and upheld the Admiralty's decision.^[13] Napier and Cunard recruited other investors including businessmen James Donaldson, Sir George Burns, and David MacIver. In May 1840, just before the first ship was ready, they formed the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company with initial capital of £270,000, later increased to £300,000 (£24,428,873 in 2015).^[9] Cunard supplied £55,000.^[7] Burns supervised ship construction, McIver was responsible for day-to-day operations, and Cunard was the "first among equals" in the management structure. When MacIver died in 1845, his younger brother Charles assumed his responsibilities for the next 35 years.^[11] (For more detail of the first investors in the Cunard Line and also the early life of Charles Maciver, see Liverpool Nautical Research Society's Second Merseyside Maritime History, pp. 33–37 1991.)

In May 1840 the coastal paddle steamer Unicorn made the company's first voyage to Halifax^[16] to begin the supplementary service to Montreal. Two months later the first of the four ocean-going steamers of the Britannia Class, departed Liverpool. By coincidence, the steamer’s departure had patriotic significance on both sides of the Atlantic: she was named the Britannia, and sailed on 4 July.^[17] Even on her maiden voyage, however, her performance indicated that the new era she heralded would be much more beneficial for Britain than the US. At a time when the typical packet ship might take several weeks to cross the Atlantic, the Britannia reached Halifax in 12 days and 10 hours, averaging 8.5 knots (15.7 km/h), before proceeding to Boston. Such relatively brisk crossings quickly became the norm for the Cunard Line: during 1840–41, mean Liverpool–Halifax times for the quartet were 13 days 6 hours to Halifax and 11 days 4 hours homeward. Two larger ships were quickly ordered, one to replace the Columbia, which sank at Seal Island, Nova Scotia, in 1843 without loss of life. By 1845, steamship lines led by Cunard carried more saloon passengers than the sailing packets.^[2] Three years later, the British Government increased the annual subsidy to £156,000 so that Cunard could double its frequency.^[15] Four additional wooden paddlers were ordered and alternate sailings were direct to New York instead of the Halifax–Boston route. The sailing packet lines were now reduced to the immigrant trade.^[2]

From the beginning Cunard's ships used the line's distinctive red funnel with two or three narrow black bands and black top. It appears that Robert Napier was responsible for this feature. His shipyard in Glasgow used this combination previously in 1830 on Thomas Assheton Smith's private steam yacht "Menai". The renovation of her model by Glasgow Museum of Transport revealed that she had vermilion funnels with black bands and black top.^[18]

Cunard's reputation for safety was one of the significant factors in the firm's early success.^[3] Both of the first transatlantic lines failed after major accidents: the British and American line collapsed after the President foundered in a gale, and the Great Western Steamship Company failed after Great Britain stranded because of a navigation error.^[2] Cunard's orders to his masters were, "Your ship is loaded, take her; speed is nothing, follow your own road, deliver her safe, bring her back safe – safety is all that is required."^[3] In particular, Charles MacIver's constant inspections were responsible for the firm's safety discipline.^[11]

New Competition: 1850–1879

In 1850 the American Collins Line and the British Inman Line started new Atlantic steamship services. The American Government supplied Collins with a large annual subsidy to operate four wooden paddlers that were superior to Cunard's best,^[15] as they demonstrated with three Blue Riband-winning voyages between 1850 and 1854.^[17] Meanwhile, Inman showed that iron-hulled, screw propelled steamers of modest speed could be profitable without subsidy. Inman also became the first steamship line to carry steerage passengers. Both of the newcomers suffered major disasters in 1854.^[2][17] The next year, Cunard put pressure on Collins by commissioning its first iron-hulled paddler, Persia. That pressure may well have been a factor in a second major disaster suffered by the Collins Line, the loss of its steamer Pacific. The Pacific sailed out of Liverpool just a few days before the Persia was due to depart on her maiden voyage, and was never seen again; it was widely assumed at the time that the captain had pushed his ship to the limit in order to stay ahead of the new Cunarder, and had likely collided with an iceberg during what was a particularly severe winter in the North Atlantic.^[17] A few months later the Persia inflicted a further blow to the Collins Line, regaining the Blue Riband with a Liverpool–New York voyage of 9 days 16 hours, averaging 13.11 knots (24.28 km/h).^[19]

During the Crimean War Cunard supplied 11 ships for war service. Every British North Atlantic route was suspended until 1856 except Cunard's Liverpool–Halifax–Boston service. While Collins' fortunes improved because of the lack of competition during the war, it collapsed in 1858 after its subsidy for carrying mail across the Atlantic was reduced by the US Congress.^[17] Cunard emerged as the leading carrier of saloon passengers and in 1862 commissioned Scotia, the last paddle steamer to win the Blue Riband. Inman carried more passengers because of its success in the immigrant trade. To compete, in May 1863 Cunard started a secondary Liverpool–New York service with iron-hulled screw steamers that catered for steerage passengers. Beginning with China, the line also replaced the last three wooden paddlers on the New York mail service with iron screw steamers that only carried saloon passengers.^[2]

When Cunard died in 1865, the equally conservative Charles MacIver assumed Cunard's role.^[11] The firm retained its reluctance about change and was overtaken by competitors that more quickly adopted new technology.^[15] In 1866 Inman started to build screw propelled express liners that matched Cunard's premier unit, the Scotia. Cunard responded with its first high speed screw propellered steamer, Russia which was followed by two larger editions. In 1871 both companies faced a new rival when the White Star Line commissioned the Oceanic and her five sisters. The new White Star record-breakers were especially economical because of their use of compound engines. White Star also set new standards for comfort by placing the dining saloon midships and doubling the size of cabins. Inman rebuilt its express fleet to the new standard, but Cunard lagged behind both of its rivals. Throughout the 1870s Cunard passage times were longer than either White Star or Inman.^[2]

In 1867 responsibility for mail contracts was transferred back to the Post Office and opened for bid. Cunard, Inman and the German Norddeutscher Lloyd were each awarded one of the three weekly New York mail services. The fortnightly route to Halifax formerly held by Cunard went to Inman. Cunard continued to receive a £80,000 subsidy (equivalent to £6,388,398 in 2015),^[9] while NDL and Inman were paid sea postage. Two years later the service was rebid and Cunard was awarded a seven-year contract for two weekly New York mail services at £70,000 per annum. Inman was awarded a seven-year contract for the third weekly New York service at £35,000 per year.^[13]

The Panic of 1873 started a five-year shipping depression that strained the finances of all of the Atlantic competitors.^[2] In 1876 the mail contracts expired and the Post Office ended both Cunard's and Inman's subsidies. The new contracts were paid on the basis of weight, at a rate substantially higher than paid by the United States Post Office.^[13] Cunard's weekly New York mail sailings were reduced to one and White Star was awarded the third mail sailing. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday a liner from one of the three firms departed Liverpool with the mail for New York.^[20]

Cunard Steamship Company Ltd: 1879–1934

To raise additional capital, in 1879 the privately held British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was reorganised as a public stock corporation, the Cunard Steamship Company, Ltd.^[2] Under Cunard's new chairman, John Burns (1839–1900), son of one of the firm's original founders,^[11] Cunard commissioned four steel-hulled express liners beginning with Servia of 1881, the first passenger liner with electric lighting throughout. In 1884, Cunard purchased the almost new Blue Riband winner Oregon from the Guion Line when that firm defaulted on payments to the shipyard. That year, Cunard also commissioned the record-breakers Umbria and Etruria capable of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h). Starting in 1887, Cunard's newly won leadership on the North Atlantic was threatened when Inman and then White Star responded with twin screw record-breakers. In 1893 Cunard countered with two even faster Blue Riband winners, Campania and Lucania, capable of 21.8 knots (40.4 km/h).^[15]

No sooner had Cunard re-established its supremacy than new rivals emerged. Beginning in the late 1860s several German firms commissioned liners that were almost as fast as the British mail steamers from Liverpool.^[2] In 1897 Kaiser Wilhelm der Große of Norddeutscher Lloyd raised the Blue Riband to 22.3 knots (41.3 km/h), and was followed by a succession of German record-breakers.^[19] Rather than match the new German speedsters, White Star – a rival which Cunard line would merge with – commissioned four very profitable Celtic-class liners of more moderate speed for its secondary Liverpool–New York service. In 1902 White Star joined the well-capitalized American combine, the International Mercantile Marine Co. (IMM), which owned the American Line, including the old Inman Line, and other lines. IMM also had trade agreements with Hamburg–America and Norddeutscher Lloyd.^[2]

British prestige was at stake. The British Government provided Cunard with an annual subsidy of £150,000 plus a low interest loan of £2.5 million (equivalent to £243 million in 2015),^[9] to pay for the construction of the two superliners, the Blue Riband winners Lusitania and Mauretania, capable of 26.0 knots (48.2 km/h). In 1903 the firm started a Fiume–New York service with calls at Italian ports and Gibraltar. The next year Cunard commissioned two ships to compete directly with the Celtic-class liners on the secondary Liverpool–New York route. In 1911 Cunard entered the St Lawrence trade by purchasing the Thompson line, and absorbed the Royal line five years later.^[2]

Not to be outdone, both White Star and Hamburg–America each ordered a trio of superliners. The White Star Olympic-class liners at 21.5 knots (39.8 km/h) and the Hapag Imperator-class liners at 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h) were larger and more luxurious than the Cunarders, but not as fast. Cunard also ordered a new ship, Aquitania, capable of 24.0 knots (44.4 km/h), to complete the Liverpool mail fleet. Events prevented the expected competition between the three sets of superliners. White Star's Titanic sank on its maiden voyage, both White Star's Britannic and Cunard's Lusitania were war losses, and the three Hapag super-liners were handed over to the Allied powers as war reparations.^[3]

In 1916 Cunard Line completed its European headquarters in Liverpool, moving in on 12 June of that year.^[21] The grand neo-Classical Cunard Building was the third of Liverpool's Three Graces. The headquarters were used by Cunard until the 1960s.^[22]

Due to First World War losses, Cunard began a post-war rebuilding programme including eleven intermediate liners. It acquired the former Hapag Imperator (renamed the Berengaria) to replace the lost Lusitania as the running mate for Mauretania and Aquitania, and Southampton replaced Liverpool as the British destination for the three-ship express service. By 1926 Cunard's fleet was larger than before the war, and White Star was in decline, having been sold by IMM.^[2]

Despite the dramatic reduction in North Atlantic passengers caused by the shipping depression beginning in 1929, the Germans, Italians and the French commissioned new "ships of state" prestige liners.^[2] The German Bremen took the Blue Riband at 27.8 knots (51.5 km/h) in 1933, the Italian Rex recorded 28.9 knots (53.5 km/h) on a westbound voyage the same year, and the French Normandie crossed the Atlantic in just under four days at 30.58 knots (56.63 km/h) in 1937.^[19] In 1930 Cunard ordered an 80,000 ton liner that was to be the first of two record-breakers fast enough to fit into a two-ship weekly Southampton–New York service. Work on hull 534 was halted in 1931 because of the economic conditions.^[3]

Cunard-White Star Ltd: 1934–1949

In 1934, both the Cunard Line and the White Star Line were experiencing financial difficulties. David Kirkwood, MP for Clydebank where the unfinished hull 534 had been sitting idle for two and a half years, made a passionate plea in the House of Commons for funding to finish the ship and restart the dormant British economy.^[23] The government offered Cunard a loan of £3 million to complete hull 534 and an additional £5 million to build a second ship, if Cunard merged with White Star.^[3]

The merger took place on 10 May 1934, creating Cunard-White Star Limited.The merger was accomplished with Cunard owning about two-thirds of the capital.^[2] Due to the surplus tonnage of the new combined Cunard White Star fleet many of the older liners were sent to the scrapyard; these included the ex-Cunard liner Mauretania and the ex-White Star liners Olympic and Homeric. In 1936 the ex-White Star Majestic was sold when hull 534, now named Queen Mary, replaced her in the express mail service.^[3] Queen Mary reached 30.99 knots (57.39 km/h) on her 1938 Blue Riband voyage.^[19] Cunard-White Star started construction on Queen Elizabeth, and a smaller ship, the second Mauretania, joined the fleet and could also be used on the Atlantic run when one of the Queens was in drydock.^[2] The ex-Cunard liner Berengaria was sold for scrap in 1938 after a series of fires.^[3]

During the 1939–45 Second World War the Queens carried over two million servicemen and were credited by Churchill as helping to shorten the war by a year.^[3] All four of the large Cunard-White Star express liners, the two Queens, Aquitania and Mauretania survived, but many of the secondary ships were lost. Both Lancastria and Laconia were sunk with heavy loss of life.^[2]

In 1947 Cunard purchased White Star's interest, and by 1949 the company had dropped the White Star name and was renamed Cunard Line.^[24] Also in 1947 the company commissioned five freighters and two cargo liners. Caronia, was completed in 1949 as a permanent cruise liner and Aquitania was retired the next year.^[2] Cunard was in an especially good position to take advantage of the increase in North Atlantic travel during the 1950s and the Queens were a major generator of US currency for Great Britain. Cunard's slogan, "Getting there is half the fun", was specifically aimed at the tourist trade. Beginning in 1954, Cunard took delivery of four new 22,000-GRT intermediate liners for the Canadian route and the Liverpool–New York route. The last White Star motor ship, Britannic of 1930, remained in service until 1960.^[3]

In 1960 a government-appointed committee recommended the construction of project Q3, a conventional 75,000 GRT liner to replace Queen Mary. Under the plan, the government would lend Cunard the majority of the liner's cost.^[25] However, some Cunard stockholders questioned the plan at the June 1961 board meeting because transatlantic flights were gaining in popularity.^[26] By 1963 the plan had been changed to a dual-purpose 55,000 GRT ship designed to cruise in the off-season.^[27] Ultimately, this ship came into service in 1969 as the 70,300 GRT Queen Elizabeth 2.^[3]

Within ten years of the introduction of jet airliners in 1958, most of the conventional Atlantic liners were gone. Mauretania was retired in 1965, the Queen Mary and Caronia in 1967, and the Queen Elizabeth in 1968. Two of the new intermediate liners were sold by 1970 and the other two were converted to cruise ships.^[3] Cunard tried operating scheduled air services to North America, the Caribbean and South America by forming BOAC-Cunard Ltd in 1962 with the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), but this venture lasted only until 1966.^[28] All Cunard ships flew the Cunard flag over the White Star flag until late 1968. This was most likely because White Star Line's Nomadic remained in service with Cunard until November 4, 1968, and was sent to the breakers' yard, only to be bought for use as a floating restaurant. After this, all remnants of both White Star Line and Cunard-White Star Line were retired.

Trafalgar House years: 1971–1998

In 1971, when the line was purchased by the conglomerate Trafalgar House, Cunard operated cargo and passenger ships, hotels and resorts. Its cargo fleet consisted of 42 ships in service, with 20 on order. The flagship of the passenger fleet was the two-year-old Queen Elizabeth 2. The fleet also included the remaining two intermediate liners from the 1950s, plus two purpose-built cruise ships on order. Trafalgar acquired two additional cruise ships and disposed of the intermediate liners and most of the cargo fleet.^[29] During the Falklands War, QE2 and Cunard Countess were chartered as troopships^[30] while Cunard's container ship Atlantic Conveyor was sunk by an Exocet missile.^[31]

Cunard acquired the Norwegian America Line in 1983, with two classic ocean liner/cruise ships.^[32] Also in 1983, the Trafalgar attempted a hostile takeover of P&O, another large passenger and cargo shipping line, which was formed the same year as Cunard. P&O objected and forced the issue to the British Monopolies and Mergers Commission. In their filing, P&O was critical of Trafalgar's management of Cunard and their failure to correct QE2's mechanical problems.^[33] In 1984, the Commission ruled in favour of the merger, but Trafalgar decided against proceeding.^[34] In 1988, Cunard acquired Ellerman Lines and its small fleet of cargo vessels, organising the business as Cunard-Ellerman, however, only a few years later, Cunard decided to abandon the cargo business and focus solely on cruise ships. Cunard's cargo fleet was sold off between 1989 and 1991, with a single container ship, the second Atlantic Conveyor, remaining under Cunard ownership until 1996. In 1993, Cunard entered into a 10-year agreement to handle marketing, sales and reservations for the Crown Cruise Line, and its three vessels joined the Cunard fleet under the Cunard Crown banner.^[35] In 1994 Cunard purchased the rights to the name of the Royal Viking Line and its Royal Viking Sun. The rest of Royal Viking Line's fleet stayed with the line's owner, Norwegian Cruise Line.^[36]

By the mid-1990s Cunard was ailing. The company was embarrassed in late 1994 when the QE2 experienced numerous defects during the first voyage of the season because of unfinished renovation work. Claims from passengers cost the company US$13 million. After Cunard reported a US$25 million loss in 1995, Trafalgar assigned a new CEO to the line, who concluded that the company had management issues. In 1996 the Norwegian conglomerate Kværner acquired Trafalgar House, and attempted to sell Cunard. When there were no takers, Kværner made substantial investments to turn around the company's tarnished reputation.^[37]

Carnival: from 1998

In 1998 the cruise line conglomerate Carnival Corporation acquired 68% of Cunard for US$425 million.^[38] The next year Carnival acquired the remaining stock for US$205 million.^[39] Ultimately, Carnival sued Kværner claiming that the ships were in worse condition than represented and Kværner agreed to refund USD$50 million to Carnival.^[40] Each of Carnival's cruise lines is designed to appeal to a different market, and Carnival was interested in rebuilding Cunard as a luxury brand trading on its British traditions. Under the slogan "Advancing Civilization Since 1840," Cunard's advertising campaign sought to emphasise the elegance and mystique of ocean travel.^[41] Only the QE2 and Caronia continued under the Cunard brand and the company began Project Queen Mary to build a new ocean liner/cruise ship for the transatlantic route.^[42]

By 2001 Carnival was the largest cruise company, followed by Royal Caribbean and P&O Princess Cruises, which had recently separated from its parent, P&O. When Royal Caribbean and P&O Princess agreed to merge, Carnival countered with a hostile takeover bid for P&O Princess. Carnival rejected the idea of selling Cunard to resolve antitrust issues with the acquisition.^[43] European and US regulators approved the merger without requiring Cunard's sale.^[44] After the merger was completed, Carnival moved Cunard's headquarters to the offices of Princess Cruises in Santa Clarita, California, so that administrative, financial and technology services could be combined.^[45]

Carnival House opened in Southampton in 2009,^[46] and executive control of Cunard Line transferred from Carnival Corporation in the United States, to Carnival UK, the primary operating company of Carnival plc. As the UK-listed holding company of the group, Carnival plc had executive control of all Carnival Group activities in the UK, with the headquarters of all UK-based brands, including Cunard, in offices at Carnival House.

In 2004 the 36-year-old QE2 was replaced on the North Atlantic by Queen Mary 2. Caronia was sold and QE2 continued to cruise until she was retired in 2008. In 2007 Cunard added a large cruise ship, Queen Victoria. She is not a sister for the QM2, being ordered by Carnival as a Vista class cruise ship for the Holland America Line. To reinforce Cunard traditions, the QV has a small museum on board. Cunard commissioned a second Vista class cruise ship, Queen Elizabeth, in 2010.^[47]

In 2010 Cunard appointed its first female commander, Captain Inger Klein Olsen.^[48]

In 2011 all three Cunard ships in service changed vessel registry to Hamilton, Bermuda,^[49] the first time in the 171-year history of the company that it had no ships registered in the United Kingdom.^[50] The captains of ships registered in Bermuda, but not in the UK, can marry couples at sea; weddings at sea are a lucrative market.^[49]

On 25 May 2015, the three Cunard ocean liners – Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria – sailed up the Mersey into Liverpool to commemorate the 175th anniversary of Cunard. The ships performed manoeuvres, including 180-degree turns, as the Red Arrows performed a fly-past.^[51] Just over a year later Queen Elizabeth returned to Liverpool under Captain Olsen to take part in the celebrations of the centenary of the Cunard Building on 2 June 2016.^[48]

Fleet

The Cunard fleet, all built for Cunard unless otherwise indicated, consisted of the following ships in order of acquisition:^[2]

1840–1850

All ships of this period had wooden hulls and paddle wheels

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
SS Unicorn	1836	1840–1846	express	650	coastal steamer purchased for Montreal service, sold 1846
Britannia	1840	1840–1849	express	1,150	Eastbound record holder, sold to North German Navy 1849
Acadia	1840	1840–1849	express	1,150	sold to North German Navy 1849
Caledonia	1840	1840–1850	express	1,150	sold to Spanish Navy 1850
Columbia	1841	1841–1843	express	1,150	Blue Riband, wrecked 1843 without loss of life
Hibernia	1843	1843–1850	express	1,400	Eastbound record holder, sold to Spanish Navy 1850
Cambria	1845	1845–1860	express	1,400	Blue Riband, sold to Italian owners 1860
America	1848	1848–1863	express	1,850	Blue Riband, sold 1863 and converted to sail, scrapped 1875
Niagara	1848	1848–1866	express	1,850	sold 1866 and converted to sail, wrecked 1875
Europa	1848	1848–1867	express	1,850	Blue Riband, sold 1867
Canada	1848	1848–1866	express	1,850	Eastbound record holder, sold 1866 and converted to sail, scrapped 1883
Asia	1850	1850–1868	express	2,250	Blue Riband, sold 1868, sank 1876
Africa	1850	1850–1868	express	2,250	sold 1868

1850–1879

Only Arabia had a wooden hull and only Arabia, Persia and Scotia had paddle wheels

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
Arabia	1852	1852–1864	express	2,400	sold 1864 and converted to sail, sank 1868[52]
Andes	1852	1852–1859	intermediate	1,400	sold to Spanish Government 1859
Alps	1853	1853–1859	intermediate	1,400	sold to Spanish Government 1859
Jura	1854	1854–1860	intermediate	2,200	sold to Allan Line 1860, wrecked off Liverpool 1864[52]
Etna	1855	1855–1860	intermediate	2,200	sold to Inman Line 1860, scrapped 1896[52]
Persia	1856	1856–1868	express	3,300	Blue Riband, taken out of service 1868 and scrapped 1872
Australasian Calabria	1857	1860–1870 1870-1876	intermediate	2,700	built for other owners, sold 1876, scrapped 1898[52]
Atlas	1860	1860-1896	intermediate	2,393	lengthened and re-engined in 1873, scrapped 1896[52]
China	1862	1862–1880	express	2,550	sold to Spanish owners 1880, lost at sea 1906[52]
Scotia	1862	1864–1878	express	3,850	Blue Riband, sold 1878 and converted to cable layer. Wrecked 1904[52]
Tripoli	1863	1863–1872	intermediate	2,057	wrecked on Tuskar Rock, Wexford 1872
Cuba	1864	1865–1876	express	2,700	sold 1876 and converted to sail, wrecked 1887[52]
Aleppo	1865	1865–1909	intermediate	2,056	scrapped 1909[52]
Java	1865	1865–1878	express	2,700	sold 1878 to Red Star Line, and renamed Zeeland, lost at sea 1895[52]
Russia	1867	1867–1880	express	2,950	sold to Red Star Line 1880 and renamed Waesland. Resold and renamed Philadelphia, sank after a collision 1902[52]
Siberia	1867	1867–1880	intermediate	2,550	sold to Spanish owners 1880, renamed Manila, wrecked 1882[52]
Samaria	1868	1868–1892	intermediate	2,550	sold 1892
Batavia	1870	1870–1884	intermediate	2,550	traded in for Oregon 1884, scrapped 1924
Abyssinia	1870	1870–1880	express	3,250	sold to Guion Line 1880, destroyed by fire at sea 1891[52]
Algeria	1870	1870–1881	express	3,250	sold to Red Star Line 1881, scrapped 1903[52]
Parthia	1870	1870–1884	intermediate	3,150	traded in for Oregon 1884, scrapped 1956
Bothnia	1874	1874–1898	express	4,550	sold 1896, scrapped 1899
Scythia	1875	1875–1898	express	4,550	sold for scrap 1898[52]
Gallia	1879	1879–1897	express	4,550	sold to Beaver Line 1897, scrapped 1900[52]

1879–1934

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
Catalonia	1881	1881–1901	intermediate	4,850	scrapped 1901
Cephalonia	1882	1882–1900	intermediate	5,500	sold to Russian Navy 1900, sunk Port Authur 1904[52]
Pavonia	1882	1882–1900	intermediate	5,500	sold and scrapped 1900[52]
Servia	1881	1881–1902	express	7,400	first steel liner to New York, scrapped 1902
Aurania	1883	1883–1905	express	7,250	sold and scrapped 1905[52]
Oregon	1883	1884–1886	express	7,400	Blue Riband, built for Guion Line, purchased by Cunard 1884, sank 1886 without loss of life
Umbria	1884	1884–1910	express	7,700	Blue Riband, last Cunarders to carry sails, scrapped 1910[52]
Etruria	1884	1884–1910	express	7,700	Blue Riband, last Cunarders to carry sails, scrapped 1910[52]
Campania	1893	1893–1914	express	12,900	Blue Riband, sold to Royal Navy 1914 and converted to aircraft carrier, sank 1918[52]
Lucania	1893	1893–1909	express	12,900	Blue Riband, scrapped after fire 1909
Ultonia	1899	1899–1917	intermediate	10,400	sunk by U-53 1917
Ivernia	1900	1900–1917	intermediate	14,250	sunk by UB-47 1917
Saxonia	1900	1900–1925	intermediate	14,250	scrapped 1925
Carpathia	1903	1903–1918	intermediate	13,600	rescued survivors from Titanic, later sunk by U-55 1918
Slavonia	1903	1903–1909	intermediate	10,606	wrecked 1909
Pannonia	1903	1903–1914	intermediate	9,851	chartered by Anchor Line 1914 for 4 trips, scrapped 1922
Caronia	1905	1905–1932	intermediate	19,650	scrapped 1932
Carmania	1905	1905–1932	intermediate	19,650	scrapped 1932
Lusitania	1907	1907–1915	express	31,550	Blue Riband, sunk by U-20 1915
Mauretania	1907	1907–1934	express	31,950	Blue Riband, scrapped 1934
Franconia	1911	1911–1916	intermediate	18,100	sunk by U-47 1916
Albania	1900	1911–1912	intermediate	7,650	built for Thompson Line, purchased by Cunard 1911, sold to Bank Line 1912, scrapped 1930[52]
Ausonia	1909	1911–1918	intermediate	7,907	ex Tortona built for Thompson Line, purchased by Cunard 1911, sunk by U-62 30 May 1918.
Ascania	1911	1911–1918	intermediate	9,100	wrecked 1918
Laconia	1912	1912–1917	intermediate	18,100	sunk by U-50 1917
Andania	1913	1913–1918	intermediate	13,400	sunk by U-46 1918
Alaunia	1913	1913–1916	intermediate	13,400	sunk by mine 1916
Aquitania	1914	1914–1950	express	45,650	served in both world wars, longest serving liner until QE2 in 2004, scrapped 1950
Orduna	1914	1914–1921	intermediate	15,700	built for PSN Co, acquired by Cunard 1914, returned to PSN 1921, scrapped 1951
Aurania	1916	1916–1918	intermediate	13,400	sunk by UB-67 1918
Royal George	1916	1916–1920	intermediate	11,142	served on the Liverpool to New York route. Scrapped 1922.
Vauban	1912	1919–1922	intermediate	10,660	chartered from Lamport & Holt Line, scrapped 1932[52]
Albania	1920	1920–1930	intermediate	12,750	sold to Libera Triestina 1930 and renamed California, sunk by Fleet Air Arm Swordfish[52]
Berengaria	1913	1921–1938	express	51,950	built by Hapag as Imperator, purchased by Cunard 1921, sold for scrap 1938
Scythia	1921	1921–1958	intermediate	19,700	scrapped 1958
Andania	1921	1921–1940	intermediate	13,900	sunk by U-A 1940
Samaria	1922	1922–1955	intermediate	19,700	scrapped 1955
Laconia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	19,700	sunk by U-156 1942
Antonia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	13,900	sold to Admiralty 1942, scrapped 1948[52]
Ausonia	1922	1922–1942	intermediate	13,900	sold to Admiralty 1942, scrapped 1965[52]
Lancastria	1922	1922–1940	intermediate	16,250	built as Tyrrhenia, sunk by bombing 1940
Athenia	1923	1923–1935	intermediate	13,465	transferred to Anchor Donaldson, sunk by U-30 1939[52]
Franconia	1923	1923–1956	intermediate	20,200	scrapped 1956
Aurania	1924	1924–1942	intermediate	14,000	sold to Admiralty 1942, scrapped 1961[52]
Cassandra	1924	1924–1929	cargo liner	8,135	chartered from Donaldson Line, sold 1929, scrapped 1934[52]
Carinthia	1925	1925–1940	cruise	20,200	sunk by U-46 1940
Ascania	1925	1925–1956	intermediate	14,000	scrapped 1956
Alaunia	1925	1925–1944	intermediate	14,000	sold to Admiralty 1944, scrapped 1957.[52]

1934–1971

See also: White Star Line's Olympic, Homeric, Majestic, Doric, Laurentic, Britannic and Georgic

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
Queen Mary	1936	1936–1967	express	80,750	Blue Riband, sold 1967, now a stationary hotel ship
Mauretania	1939	1939–1965	express	37,750	scrapped 1965
Queen Elizabeth	1940	1946–1968	express	83,650	WWII troopship 1940–1945, sold 1968, destroyed by fire 1972
Media	1947	1947–1961	Passenger-cargo liner	13,350	sold to Cogedar Line 1961, scrapped 1989[52]
Parthia	1947	1947–1961	Passenger-cargo liner	13,350	sold to P&O 1961, renamed Remuera, scrapped 1969[52]
Caronia	1949	1949–1968	cruise	34,200	sold 1968, wrecked 1974
Britannic	1929	1950–1960	intermediate	26,943	built for White Star Line, scrapped 1960
Georgic	1932	1950–1956	intermediate	27,759	built for White Star Line, scrapped 1956
Saxonia Carmania	1954	1954–1962 1962–1973	Canadian service cruise	21,637 21,370	Sold to the Black Sea Shipping Company, Soviet Union 1973
Ivernia Franconia	1955	1955–1963 1963–1973	Canadian service cruise	21,800	Sold to the Far Eastern Shipping Company, Soviet Union 1973, scrapped 2004[52]
Carinthia	1956	1956–1968	Canadian service	21,800	sold to Sitmar Line 1968, scrapped 2005
Sylvania	1957	1957–1968	Canadian service	21,800	sold to Sitmar Line 1968, scrapped 2004
Alaunia	1960	1960–1969	cargo liner	7,004	sold to Brocklebank Line in 1969
Arabia	1955	1967–1969	cargo liner	3,803	ex Castilian chartered from Ellerman Lines
Queen Elizabeth 2	1969	1969–2008	express Cruise	70,300	sold 2008, laid up in Dubai longest serving Cunarder in history
Atlantic Causeway	1969	1970–1986	container ship	14,950	scrapped in 1986
Atlantic Conveyor	1970	1970–1982	container ship	14,946	sunk in Falklands War 1982

1971–1998

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
Cunard Adventurer	1971	1971–1977	cruise	14,150	sold to Norwegian Cruise Line 1977
Cunard Ambassador	1972	1972–1974	cruise	14,150	sold after fire 1974 to C. Clausen and converted to a sheep carrier
Cunard Countess	1975	1976–1996	cruise	17,500	sold to Awani Cruise Line 1996
Cunard Princess	1975	1977–1995	cruise	17,500	sold to MSC Cruises 1995
Sagafjord	1965	1983–1997	cruise	24,500	built for Norwegian America Line, sold to Saga Cruises 1997
Vistafjord Caronia	1973	1983–1999 1999–2004	cruise	24,300	built for Norwegian America Line, sold to Saga Cruises 2004
Atlantic Star	1967	1983–1987	container ship	15,055	transferred from Holland America Line
Atlantic Conveyor	1985	1985–1996	container ship	58,438	transferred to Atlantic Container Line
Sea Goddess I	1984	1986–1998	cruise	4,333	built for Sea Goddess Cruises, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1998
Sea Goddess II	1985	1986–1998	cruise	4,333	built for Sea Goddess Cruises, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1998
Cunard Crown Monarch	1990	1993–1994	cruise	15,271	built for Crown Cruise Line, transferred to Crown Cruise Line 1994
Cunard Crown Jewel	1992	1993–1995	cruise	19,089	built for Crown Cruise Line, transferred to Star Cruises 1995
Cunard Crown Dynasty	1993	1993–1997	cruise	19,089	built for Crown Cruise Line, transferred to Majesty Cruise Line 1997
Royal Viking Sun	1988	1994–1999	cruise	37,850	built for Royal Viking Line, transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line 1999

1998–present

Ship	Built	In service for Cunard	Type	GRT	Notes
Queen Mary 2	2003	2004–present	Ocean liner	151,400	In service World's largest Transatlantic liner as of 2004
Queen Victoria	2007	2007–present	Cruise ship	90,049	In service
Queen Elizabeth	2010	2010–present	Cruise ship	90,901	In service

See also

• Cruise line
• Transatlantic crossing

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cunard Line ships.

• Official website
• Cunard Line fleet listing
• Cunard Line Passenger Lists, Brochures, Other Historical Documents 1800s – 1954
• The Last Ocean Liners – Cunard Line – trade routes and ships of the Cunard Line since the 1950s
• http://www.charlesfreemandesign.com/curator-intro Cunard Sesquicentennial Exhibition - 150 Transatlantic Years - The Ocean Liner Museum, New York NY