DISTURBING NEWS AS CUNARD GOES UNDER PRINCESS????
But prior to joining Princess in fall 2004, Cunard had also found itself earning some attention for bad news, too. QM2 may have been the most hyped new ship to launch in a decade or more, but passenger reviews -- in areas ranging from dining to service to entertainment -- started out dismally and pretty much stayed there. And long-time icon Queen Elizabeth 2 seemed to be experiencing a malaise; even Princess/P&O chief Peter Ratcliffe described the once-regal ship's interiors as "tatty."
These days, the proverbial sky looks a bit brighter for Cunard, the line's top executives told Cruise Critic during a series of in-person interviews at the company's headquarters in Valencia, California. Growing pains have eased. "Put it down to Cunard's inexperience in running big ships," Ratcliffe said. "Bringing her into the Princess set-up behind the scenes makes the back of the house run more smoothly."
And worries that Princess would weaken Cunard's storied heritage seem to be premature. Rai Caluori, the hands-on senior vice president of fleet operations for Princess, who took on the same job for Cunard, says that "we are very cautious about making changes [to Cunard]. It's our goal to maintain and evolve -- not to dilute it."
Ultimately, he adds, the most important issue is that "people want to know that the change will result in tangible improvements."
It must be said, in fairness, that quite a few aspects of QM2 have consistently garnered raves, including the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, the Todd English alternative restaurant and the ultra-deluxe penthouse suites. QM2 boasts the finest library at sea, cruising's only planetarium and the largest ballroom on any ship afloat. The "ye olde England"-style Golden Lion Pub and the trendy disco G-32 are among the most popular venues.
Still, much preliminary attention has been focused on improving QM2. Some changes have already been made, others are in the works and still others (in the cases of major structural adjustments) will have to wait for the ship's dry-dock period this fall. Changes passengers can anticipate include:





QM2 is not the only ship in the fleet to warrant close attention. Caluori says that QE2 will get a boost as well. Improvements include "pretty aggressive refurbishments of public rooms and suites" (a decision on whether to undertake major work in standard cabins hasn't yet been made, Caluori says). Cunard won't wait for a dry-dock period to make these improvements; they'll be gradually introduced over the next four to six months.
And Queen Victoria, the line's newest ship -- now under construction and slated for launch during the summer of 2007 -- has benefited from new attention to detail. The ship, designed on the same platform as Holland America's Vista-class vessels, will now see some distinctions of its own. These include a structural redesign that features a Ritz-like tea room and a double-high Queens Room (ballroom).
Ultimately, says Cunard's marketing honcho David Gevanthor, one of a handful of long-time staffers who made the move from Cunard's former Miami headquarters to its new California office, the key to the success of Cunard is implanting modern day strategies onboard while maintaining a reverence to tradition. "What we are is an established icon," he notes. "We appeal to folks who've traveled extensively, who have an appreciation both of the quality of life we represent and its bygone era, too. For us, sailing on Cunard should be a 'Nick and Nora Charles' event -- in living color."
We'll keep you posted on changes as Cunard continues to evolve (and look for our fresh review on QM2 later this fall once the ship emerges from its dry-dock transformation)."