The Cunard Line:
The Merger, the Berengaria and the QE2
The R.M.S. Berengaria:

Launched: 1913 (as the
Imperator)
Volume: 52,226 gross tons
Length: 919 feet
Speed: 23 knots
Demise: Scrapped in 1938

Germany's liner fleets were severely broken up after WWI. Hamburg-America's giant
Imperator (the first of their "Big Three") was given to the Cunard Line to repay for the loss of the Lusitania. The ship was renamed Berengaria and was repainted with the classic orange-red and black striped funnels. The Imperator had had a problem with stability during her short career as a German vessel, and this problem persisted regardless of what Cunard did to try to correct it. She was known as the "tender ship" because of her rolling. Despite this flaw, the Berengaria was quite a popular ship. She carried famous names like Vanderbilt, DuPont, Astor, and even J. P. Morgan. After the tragic loss of the Mauretania's running mate Lusitania, the Berengaria was added along side of the Aquitania and Mauretania to complete Cunard's "big three." (At this point in time, a group of ships working on alternating schedules would be the ideal for most lines and three was a popular number. Virtually every major passenger shipping company had a "big three.") Like many of the great liners, the Berengaria fell victim to the depression. Desperate to turn a profit, Cunard used her for cruising. She made appearances in Bermuda and the Caribbean from time to time, and the ticket prices were cheap. She became known as the "Bargain-area" and even went on cruises strictly to undermine the American Prohibition, where the booze flowed freely to any Americans who wished to partake. The money made from these "small adventures" wasn't nearly enough. Eventually the Berengaria's hull began to weaken with age. She was prone to small fires and was retired. She sailed off to Scotland in 1938 and was scrapped.
The R.M.S. Queen Mary:

Launched: 1936
Volume: 81,235 gross tons
Length: 1,018 feet
Speed: 28.5 knots
Demise: Turned into a floating hotel in 1970
The R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth:

Launched: 1940
Volume: 83,673
Length: 1,031 feet
Speed: 28.5 knots
Demise: Burned in Hong Kong Harbor in 1972 as the
Seawise University
The R.M.S. Caronia:

Launched: 1948
Volume: 34,172 gross tons
Length: 715 feet
Speed: 22 knots
Demise: Retired, and run aground
on the way to the scrappers in 1969

The
Caronia was one of Cunard's more interesting looking ships. She was nicknamed "the Green Goddess" because her entire hull was painted in four different shades of green. She was the largest ship ever to sail with only one stack, and that stack was one of the largest ever put on a ship. She was the first Cunarder to have an outdoor pool and private baths in every stateroom. She was also the first Cunarder and the largest ship to be scheduled to cruise almost all year. The Caronia was a preview of things to come for the passenger shipping industry. Tropical cruises were becoming more and more popular, and Cunard decided to give a touch of class to this industry by adding this lovely lady to the cruise itenerary. Many thought of her as the most luxurious ship in the world at the time, even surpassing the mighty Queens. Her service was some of the highest rated on any sea, and she was quite popular with passengers. Many came back time and time again, requesting the same cabin each time. But alas, the cruising and airline industries boomed, and Caronia's passengers began to dwindle. She was retired from Cunard's service shortly after the Queen Mary and was sold to a Greek/Panamanian company. She was renamed Caribia and only sailed a few times before being damaged by a fire in 1969 in the Caribbean. She was towed back to New York where she lay rusting for years, being moved periodically because she was just in the way. She was even given a "parking ticket" because she was illegaly docked on one occasion. The end for the Caribia came in 1974 when she was sold to a Taiwaneese scrapping company, but not before the public snatched away most of her interiors at a huge auction. On the way to her breaking, she headed toward Guam to avoid a tropical storm. The Caribia was thrown aground and shattered into three pieces. She was disassembled shortly thereafter.
The R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth 2:

Launched: 1965
Volume: 65,863 gross tons
Length: 963 feet
Speed: 28.5 knots
Demise: The only liner left to make
regular transatlantic crossings...

The ship known today as the
Queen Elizabeth 2 is not the same ship that the project started out to be. Originally planned to be a ship in the traditional oceanliner profile, Cunard soon realized that a classic liner could not compete with the new modern cruise ships now dominating the passenger shipping markets. She would not work as strictly a transatlantic liner like previously hoped, because the airlines moved 95 percent of all of the passengers wishing to cross the ocean. The decision was made to build a modern ship that would take to cruises most of the year, with an occasional transatlantic crossing. This ship was now to represent the new Great Britain that was welcoming more American tourists, and many names were suggested for her. Some said "Great Britain," others said "London," and some even suggested "Winston Churchill," "William Shakespeare," "Britannia," "Mauretania," and even "Queen Mary II." But Cunard decided to leave the vessel nameless until her launch, letting the Queen name her. Here is a recording of the event: Naming the QE2.
New York received her maiden arrival with fanfare, and she uses the same dock as the previous
Queens did before her. The QE2 as she is now known, is famous for her service and luxury on cruises, transatlantic crossings, and her yearly world-wide cruises. The QE2 has been the target for many dastardly plots, including an attempt to torpedo her in the Mediterranean. In 1982, she was called to be a troopship in the Falkland Island dispute, just has her predecessors had done decades earlier. This ship has had her share of troubles, especially with her engines. It had once appeared that this ship was going to be too troublesome for Cunard to operate, and there were talks of her being sent to the scrap heap. The problem was fixed when Cunard took a gamble and installed completely new diesel powered engines. The Queen Elizabeth 2 remains one of the most popular ships sailed on today, and her excellent service brings many people back time and time again. The departures from any port for this vessel are gala events where people line the shores, and the mighty Queen gives a loud salute with her enormous whisltes as she steams out of port.
On to Cunard's Great Queens:
The
Elizabeth and Mary
The R.M.S. Mauretania (2):

Launched: 1939
Volume: 35,655 gross tons
Length: 772 feet
Speed: 23 knots
Demise: Scrapped in 1983

The grand four-stacked
Mauretania was and is quite possibly Cunard's most celebrated ship, and the line decided to honor her service in 1939 by launching a smaller vessel and naming it Mauretania. This ship had two funnels and looked very much like a preview to a larger ship soon to come: the Queen Elizabeth. In fact, the Mauretania was often referred to as the Elizabeth's second cousin. After only a few transatlantic voyages, this ship found herself pulled out of civillian service, painted gray, and sent off to be a troop carrier in a new World War. After the War was over, she was returned to service. After a few years, when the jet airliner became popular, the Mauretania began having some rough times with few passengers opting for sea travel. The ship was painted green like her now running mate Caronia and sent off on cruises to Gibraltar and the Mediterreanean. She still made periodic voyages across the Atlantic, but Cunard was forced to retire this beauty in 1965 and she sailed off to the scrappers.
A New Project For Cunard

As many may know, the Cunard Line has been recently purchased by Carnival Cruise Lines. This posed some arguments from some of Cunard's valued customers, who feared that the splendidness of Cunard's heritage would be blemished by the ownership from a "cheap" modern cruise line. Carnival assured the public that the Cunard name and flag would continue to fly from these ships and that the quality would not change. Indeed, Carnival has also seen fit to revert Cunard back to its old name Cunard-White Star in response to the overwhelming success of a certain Hollywood film. Cunard has also unveiled many plans for change with the new millennium, one being multi-million dollar refits for the QE2 and Vistafjord. The stately Queen will have her interiors updated and the Vistafjord will be refit, repainted and renamed Caronia after many auspicious liners before her. The largest project for the Cunard Line is the new Queen Mary 2, for which plans have recently been unveiled. This new superliner will resemble a very large version of the QE2 and is expected to regain the title of largest afloat for the Cunard Line, a title given up after the Queen Elizabeth's size was surpassed.  For more information on the plans of the Cunard Line, see the line's website at http://www.cunardline.com
Left is the new appearance of the Vistafjord, which has been renamed Caronia for the new Millennium.

Right is a concept of the new Queen Mary 2 idea.
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