In the past, I've been willing to accept higher prices for a bit of that so called "Cunard 171 years of tradition", knowing all along that there was a bit of trickery going on behind the scenes, but I justified it all as necessary to remain profitable. Now, with the move to reflag the entire Cunard fleet to Bermuda to skirt paying higher wages to crew disguised around the trumped up issue of needing need to have weddings on Cunarders to remain profitable, suddenly, the line has lost its polish. All the marketing prose I have lapped up for years is ringing a bit hollow.
What most irritates me is how disingenuous the excuse has been on the part of Cunard and taking loyal cruisers, which I count myself as previously one, for granted. This line exists solely on its history and now they've sold out on that. What other cruise line do people take because of the lines history or the port displayed on the stern or even the flag flown? Only one; Cunard. I highly doubt a single soul is booking an NCL cruise for their Norwegian heritage or even Holland America for their Dutch ties. Cunard touts their history with various versions of QE2's Heritage Trail on their ships. A Heritage Trail on a NCL ship is a laughable thought. Would they highlight their disposal of their own flagship, the Norway?
Cunard beards have screwed with the very thing that attracts people to the line, the British Maritime History. Shame on them. This obviously company written press release is absolute rubbish. Just as I was getting over Mr. Shank's comments uttered at QE2's farewell in Southampton that QE2 was holding the brand back, he come's out with this marrage excuse to further water down the brand. Then, as an insult to injury, Cunard posts this utterly ridiculous response to the growing discontent among Cunard fans on the their Facebook page. It's been all quiet since this one response on their part.
I am insulted. Only eight ships with the Southampton name? What about Liverpool? The real question is how many Cunard passenger ships were NOT flagged in the UK? In all fairness to Mr Shanks, I have no idea what ultimately was his role as President of the line is in this. Did he personally write this lame attempt at damage control? One has to wonder whether it goes farther up the command. With all his recent comments about QE2 and the history of Cunard, I was really thinking he finally "got it" regarding why so many fans still long for QE2 and the rich history of the line. Mr. Shanks, show us your real passion for this line and how you fought to the bitter end to preserve its heritage. I suspect most of us Cunarders would be more willing to accept this change if we were told the truth and shown how far the company went to keep Southampton on the sterns of the fleet.
Going back to 1998, Micky Arison, President of Carnival Corporation, bought the line and inherited a rich maritime history along with the most famous ship in the world, QE2. He built his dream of an ocean liner, yet compromised it with the additional decks, a stubby funnel, and unreliable pod propulsion. Not that I like it, I get all that actually. It had to be financially feasible to put that amount of money into a ship and those tough decisions had to be made. Later Micky goes on to sell QE2 for a cool 100 million and washes his hands of her, deftly avoiding the whole messy disposal question. It is obvious that Cunard was not going to repeat NCL's mistakes with the Norway.
Now I've consistently touted the fact that if it wasn't for Carnival, QE2 would have never had the lavish care right up to her retirement, nor would there have even been a replacement built. Carnival saved Cunard, but now it seemed like the brand has become homogenized as it has been brought under the umbrella of the "World's Leading Cruise Lines."
Ultimately, the goal of the line is to turn a profit, and as as a shareholder myself, I am in complete agreement there. Sadly, there appears to be a perceptibly slow, drip, drip like, erosion of the Cunard brand. I have seen it and I am by far not a frequent passenger (Gold World Club status for fellow Cunarders), yet I still notice. With this move to reflag the fleet, the Flagship of the fleet, QM2 will no longer be the pride of the British Merchant Marine, nor will the new plastic Lizzy be able to continue to use the radio call sign "GBTT", with it's long history with the great Clyde-built Queens. Wasn't there much fanfare over the transfer of this call sign from QE2 to QE(3) by Cunard only a short time ago? Cunard has messed with it's history and tradition. That is a recipe for disaster for that was the one thing that set the line apart from all the rest. What is next? Rock climbing walls and water slides? Hairy chest contests at the pool? So much for tradition.
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