I mentioned earlier how the P&O Arcadia that we have booked for July/ August 2005 was originally going to be for Cunard. I found the Press Release that Cunard made about the change and their new ship...
Here it is:
CUNARD ORDERS NEW LUXURY LINER, TO BE NAMED QUEEN VICTORIA FOR DELIVERY IN EARLY 2007 (5 Apr 2004)
Cunard Line announced today that it has placed an order for a new, luxury ocean liner, to be named Queen Victoria, and has transferred the Queen Victoria currently under construction in Italy to its sister line, P&O Cruises.
The new 85,000-ton, Panamax vessel will accommodate some 1,850 passengers and will enter service in January 2007. She will be built by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani SpA, at its Marghera (Italy) shipyard, and is expected to have an all-in cost of approximately €390 million.
The tremendous success of Queen Mary 2, particularly the demand for its suites and junior suites, has prompted Cunard Line to make these changes to its plans.
"The design of the new Queen Victoria will be more consistent with the grand ocean liner style of Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2," explained Pamela Conover, Cunard's president. "It is clear that the traditional elegance of Cunard has broad appeal among discerning travellers worldwide, and we want to be sure that our new ship has all the luxurious Cunard attributes our clients expect."
In addition to increasing the number of suite and mini-suite accommodations, the enhancements will focus on providing passengers with Cunard's classic culinary experience in a variety of dining venues. The ship will feature a Queens Grill and Princess Grill, an impressive two-storey Aquitania Restaurant, as well as alternative dining options, including a Todd English restaurant. Other Cunard hallmark facilities will include a grand ballroom, an authentic British pub, and a classic library.
