Hello all

I hope you enjoyed your Christmas – now it’s time to look forward to 2012. We have an exciting year ahead at Cunard Line and I thought I would share with you some of the highlights coming up next year. Of course we all hope that you will be sailing with us in 2012 and if you have not yet made up your mind – then perhaps this will trigger some ideas for you.

10 January – Off Around the World – Both Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 will set off from Southampton and we will make sure it is a spectacular send off. Queen Elizabeth will be on her way across the Atlantic to New York and Queen Mary 2 on her way to South Africa.

4 February – Queen Elizabeth in San Francisco – Well I for one am not going to miss this one. When Queen Mary 2 first sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge it was a wonderful moment. We are hoping that this maiden arrival will be just as good – there is just something special about seeing the famous Cunard ships arriving in spectacular cities.

Let’s go around Australia – We worked out that all the best parts of Australia are on the outside. So for 2012 we decided to send Queen Mary 2 on a 23 night Royal Circumnavigation of Australia. There is some limited availability if you would like to join us. For me Sydney will be a highlight, I am hoping to be there when one of our ships is in town – and for the third year running I hope to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Honestly – if you have not done it yet it is a must whatever your age – on my first climb we had a gentleman from California who was 85 with us and he said ‘It was on my bucket list – so here I am’ (In 2013 – Queen Mary 2 will be going around New Zealand)

Three Queens for the Diamond Jubilee – it is quite remarkable that Her Majesty will have been on the throne for 60 years. On the very day that the country will celebrate this – 5 June – we will have our three Queens in Southampton for an event to pay our own tribute to Her Majesty. There are many ways for you to join us. If you book to travel on one of the voyages that end in Southampton that day (Queen Mary 2 New York-Southampton 29 May, Queen Elizabeth 13nts Mediterranean 23 May, Queen Victoria 14nts Fjords 22 May) – then you will enjoy a wonderful early morning three Queens arrival. If you book to travel on one of the voyages departing that day – then it will be a special day in Southampton. In the evening – after dinner – we will light up the sky over our three ships with our own tribute to Her Majesty. You can choose to sail that day on Queen Mary 2 5nts Getaway Break, Queen Elizabeth 14nts Baltic or Queen Victoria 17nts Adriatic Explorer. Please don’t miss being with us on the 5 June – a great day for Queen, country and Cunard Line.

The London Olympics – a great celebration of sport. Happily – as I play field hockey – my wife has managed to secure 4 tickets for the Mens Hockey final. And the Cycling Road Race (which I can assure you will be won by our own Mark Cavendish) goes past the end of the road where we live. So the Shanks Family are looking forward to the Olympics. For our friends in North America – why not spend a few weeks in the UK – you could travel over on Queen Mary 2 from New York on the 6-13 July, take in the Olympics and then travel back on Queen Mary 2 on the 21 August – perfect. Of course there may be those who say they just don’t want to be around for the Olympics – well what better way to escape than on a Cunard Voyage.

Queen Elizabeth Maiden Fly Mediterranean Season – Now if I was looking for something special then this is what I would choose. She will be sailing on 7 twelve night voyages in the Mediterranean from September to November– you can choose to join her in Rome, Athens or Venice. Last year I took an Eastern Med voyage on one of our sister lines and it was fabulous. The best way to do it is to fly out a couple of days before the voyage and explore Rome, Venice or Athens. That way, when you board Queen Elizabeth you will be completely relaxed and ready to enjoy the voyage. The itineraries are very rich – and the prices are very keen. I was in North America recently – and read of and heard a lot of concern about travelling to Europe. Well – it’s OK over here you know – we are all still here. I am hopeful that the ‘Arab Spring’ disruption will have calmed down – in fact much of it already has. And in terms of value for money – well the European resorts thrive on tourism and there has probably never been a better time to come. And if you do come over – then joining Queen Elizabeth on her maiden season down in the Mediterranean would be a great way to see all the best places in style.

So there is much to look forward to – and here are a few things that I recommend you think about – either if you are already planning to join us and can look forward to this year or your mind is not yet made up;

Relaxing – so important on holiday – reading a book in our libraries, chilling out in Canyon Ranch or our Royal Spas, dozing on a steamer chair in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – or sleeping on our most wonderful beds.

Eating – dining in Princess Grill or Queens Grill in my book is as good as any top restaurant in any top city in the world. The atmosphere in the main Britannia Dining Room on a formal night is a sight to behold and will make you feel very special indeed. A night out in our award winning Verandah Restaurant on Queen Elizabeth is stunning. And for lunch on all three ships you can now have one of our famous 7 minute fresh pizzas – always one of my favourites. Or if you want to be really British then join us for a pub lunch in The Golden Lion.

Exercise – as hard or as soft as you like. Our famous promenading (three times round deck 7 on Queen Mary 2 is a mile), our many pools and Jacuzzis – our excellent state of the art gyms with personal trainers – with Cunard you can relax as hard as you like.

Unique Experiences – the arrival into New York as the sun glints off the Statue of Liberty beats them all. But whichever port you arrive into – it’s not like being on any other white ship – the fact that you are on a Cunard Liner will make you feel rightly special.

Things to do – Julliard School of Music, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art plays and workshops, 3D cinema, Planetarium, fencing lessons, dancing, internet and iPad master classes, fascinating Insight lectures, art classes, awesome theatres (with private boxes) – there is so much to do and so little time.

And everything you do and experience with us in the year ahead will be supported and made possible by our wonderful ship’s company. You will hear us talking more of our famed White Star Service – it is what sets us apart and we are fortunate to have such wonderful people working with us to look after your every need.

So there is a lot to look forward to in the year ahead. And recognising that the economic outlook remains challenging – we have made sure that we offer the best possible value for our guests.

I do hope you are able to sail with us in the year ahead. If you have already booked – thank you so much and we look forward to taking great care of you. If you have yet to book – then I hope my outlook for the year ahead has nudged you in the right direction.

All of us at Cunard Line wish you and your friends and families a very Happy New Year!

Best Regards

Peter

Hello all

The festive season is well underway on board the Cunard fleet, the halls have been decked with boughs of holly and we even had a special visit from Santa and Mrs Claus on board Queen Elizabeth in Southampton this week! Our ships look spectacular during the Christmas period, with trees and traditional decorations in the Grand Lobbys and fantastic gingerbread villages in the Queens Rooms, take a look at the photos below to see what our guests will be enjoying over the coming days.

Before that, have a look at this video message from Peter Shanks, taking a look back at 2011…

Hello All,

We left the Queen Mary 2 Refit blog and video up for a week – which is a little longer that we would normally do but it was very popular. Over 15,000 people watched it in the first three days – so thank you all for showing so much interest. She is now back in service and sets sail today on her annual Christmas Voyage to the Caribbean from New York.

Pride of place in the Grand Lobby of Queen Mary 2 is our new portrait of Her Majesty the Queen. Having had so many positive comments of the portrait on Queen Elizabeth we felt it appropriate to do likewise on Queen Mary 2 – after all she is the cherished Godmother to both ships. The portrait was painted by a friend of Cunard Line – Gail Graham. She based it on a photo of Her Majesty that was taken in 2008 when she visited QE2. If I may say so – it is a lovely portrait – there is so much love and respect for Her Majesty but to see her smiling so broadly is terrific. Here are a few shots of the portrait, the unveiling by Gail Graham and now hanging proudly outside the Veuve Cliquot Champagne Bar in the Grand Lobby – a perfect place for us to celebrate Her Majesty as we soon enter the year of her Diamond Jubilee.

So here we are at the beginning of Christmas week. I hope you have all your planning underway for the holidays. My wife and I had our first sense of Christmas on Friday night when we attended Winchester Cathedral for the first of their famous Christmas Concerts. I was invited by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire. We are fortunate to have had a lot of Royal Events over recent years and the Lord Lieutenant and her office are always most helpful in the organisation of such events. By way of a thank you, I agreed that Cunard Line would provide modest sponsorship to her Christmas Carol Concert at the Cathedral – the concert raises funds for the Winchester Cathedral Choir. They are one of the best – if not the best – choirs in the country. It was a cold evening in a packed cathedral but the music was simply magical. We were invited back to the Lord Lieutenant’s house for supper afterwards. To be honest, as it was a Friday after a busy week , I was not sure if I was up for a formal dinner. Imagine my surprise and delight when we arrived to discover that the Lord Lieutenant had ordered a take-away curry for thirty of us – now there is a Lady with style and who is in touch with the needs of her guests. That rather set the scene for an ‘Indian’ weekend. On Saturday I played field hockey against a very well known side by the name of Indian Gymkhana. Unfortunately they are rather good and were just that little bit better than us – we lost 2-1 – never mind it was an excellent and healthy way to work off the curry of the night before.

Later this week we will put up a Christmas Message by way of a short video.

Until then – Happy Christmas shopping. Oh – and If you are not sure what to buy your loved one this Christmas – then after a great deal of research I have discovered the best possible Christmas present. A voyage on Cunard Line in 2012………..

Best Regards

Peter

Hello All

Thursday was quite a day – for a number of reasons. I am not sure if – as a travel professional – I should own up to the first part of the day. Having flown out to the US on business last Sunday I was clearly not concentrating when I parked my car at Heathrow and flew out to Los Angeles to visit our US Sales and Marketing Team. Because as I boarded my Virgin Atlantic flight home on Wednesday evening from Las Vegas – having been there for 24 hours to present to 1,800 travel agents at the annual Luxury Travel Show – I heard the Captain say ‘Welcome aboard our flight to Gatwick’. So I arrived at Gatwick only to have to grab a taxi to go and rescue my car from Heathrow and then head on down to Southampton to see Queen Mary 2. So there you have it – sometimes we get our travel plans wrong – but worry not as my one ambition was to see Queen Mary 2 prior to the embarkation of her first voyage after her refit – and I made it.

As I arrived just after midday, the ship’s company was still hard at work putting the final touches to the ship. She was ready for embarkation. Now, before I get to what you have been waiting for, please let me say a few words about Queen Mary 2 ship’s company. To those of you, and it must be nearly all of you, who have not been through a ship refit – it is quite remarkable how much work can be done in such a short space of time. Of course we had several hundred contractors and our colleagues from the office worked very hard indeed. But to me the real heroes of the piece are every member of the ship’s company. They worked so very hard, achieved all they had to achieve and I am so very, very proud of them – well done to each and every one of them.

So – to what you have been waiting for – the 2^nd part of the refit video. Enjoy……..

Marvelous – I hope that gave you a taste of what we have been up to over the last two weeks. The shots of the bulbous bow are just awesome. I will never forget the moment, at the Chantieres ship yard in France in 2003, when we parked a red double decker London bus under the bow of Queen Mary 2.

So she is back in service and looking beautiful. There was plenty of excited chatter on the ship as guests embarked and looked around. The new look Commodore Club is a triumph, the Golden Lion Pub so much warmer and the Queens Grill Suites are just gorgeous – more so than ever. Given the scale of what we achieved, notably refurbishing 1,310 staterooms in just 12 days, we had always planned for some of the activity to be completed over the coming weeks. I have had quite a few questions and comments about the new stateroom designs. One point raised was over some of the sofas and the fact that they do not quite match the new designs. Well please don’t worry – they are all planned to be changed over coming weeks. Personally, I think our designers have done a terrific job and we have ourselves a refreshed and beautiful ocean liner.

So to all of our guests who have booked to sail with us in the year ahead on Queen Mary 2– thank you, congratulations and we look forward to welcoming you back. To those who have yet to decide on their 2012 travel and holiday plans – then there has never been a better time to book to sail on Cunard. We have over 170 years of heritage and tradition and we have the youngest and most beautiful fleet in the world. Well I would say that wouldn’t I – but it’s true…

Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

Best Regards

Peter

Hello All

As promised, here is the latest update from Queen Mary 2 where the refit is progressing very smoothly. The complex scheduling of work is being carried out as planned, by our team here in Southampton and the shipyard in Hamburg.

To give you an idea of the scale of work, over 20,000 litres of paint, 10 miles of carpet and 1,250 crane lifts will be used over the two weeks by over 1,200 contractors who will and are currently working as you read this blog to bring all the planned enhancements to life.

For those of you wondering what happens to the items replaced in refit, I am also pleased to say that at both Cunard and the Blohm & Voss shipyard we look to take the opportunity where possible to recycle items removed from the ship. Steel, pipes, cladding and teak for example will all be recycled and used but good items, such as some of the soft furnishings including carpets, beds, linen, televisions and computers, will be donated to local charities in Hamburg through Der Hafen Hilft.

So to what you have all been waiting for – the first video update has arrived. Cunard’s very own Paul O’Loughlin, Entertainment Director on board Queen Mary 2, takes you on a tour of Queen Mary 2 in the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. You will see Queen Mary 2 as you haven’t before… it’s fascinating stuff.

On the tour Paul meets with Beniamino Acler, Senior Maitre D’ to find out what is happening in the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants. Followed by Richard Araujo, Assistant Spa Manager for an update in all things health and fitness and then finally he meets with Colin Watson, Executive Housekeeper to uncover what’s planned for the suites and staterooms on board. The video will certainly give you an insight into what goes on behind the scenes when we take one of our Cunard liners into dry-dock.

Hopefully it will also whet your appetite for part 2 – we will be back next week with a second video and another insider’s tour, showing you how wonderful Queen Mary 2 looks after her two week refit, from the suites and staterooms to the Grill restaurants, Grand Lobby and the Golden Lion Pub.

Rest assured that our team on board are working their socks off to make sure that Queen Mary 2 receives the care and attention she deserves and will be ready with their White Star Service from 8^th December when she sets sail on her next voyage.

That’s all for now –  I hope you enjoy the video – and have a cracking weekend wherever you are.

Best Regards

Peter

Guest Blog: Rachael Fish, Assistant Entertainment Director, Queen Victoria

In the 1960’s British Industry was still on the slow road to recovery and so many people including my Grandfather decided to look elsewhere for work, in my grandfather’s case this was Canada. Shortly after arriving his bravery was rewarded when he landed a manufacturing position with Rolls Royce and during his many years of loyal service, he relied upon Cunard Line and ships such as ‘Saxonia’, ‘Carinthia’, ‘Sylvania’ to transport him back to Liverpool where my father, his brothers and sister and my Grandmother were waiting patiently on the pier, for his return.

On these occasions, the siblings would yearn to be taken onboard the ships and shown around, but there was never the time nor the opportunity. But it was those emotional re-unions where a seed was sown which over the years would grow into a passion to one day see the inside of a luxury liner.

The dream was first realised in 1970 when my Uncle Anthony, worked on board QE2 as a waiter and continued service with Cunard Line for years.

During that time, he was even able to meet with Her Majesty the Queen and was on board during the 1970 bomb scare in the Mid Atlantic.

Anthony’s twin brother Vincent also went to work at sea for P&O Cruises as a cabin attendant.

Years later after so many years of researching the ships his father used to travel on, my father could wait no more, he booked a voyage for us on board the QE2 and on 3 May 1991, we set sail from Southampton for New York. This was to be my very first time on the ocean and unbeknown to me the start of my own love affair with the Oceans.

Over the years, I sailed many times aboard Cunard liners such as ‘Cunard Princess’, ‘QE2’, ‘Vistafjord’ and ‘Caronia’, but it was on that first voyage that I knew I had to work at sea. The Cruise Director at the time was a charming chap called Lyndsay who was married to Kerry-Ann, the youth counsellor who catered for my age group. Every night I would sit and watch the show wondering at the way the dancers gracefully moved and the lights sparkled as they lit up this new world of Glitz and glamour. I still remember turning to my Dad one night and declaring that one day, I would do the same job as Lyndsay…  Dad laughed, patted my head and said ‘course you will sweetheart’!

So it was that seven years ago, I applied to Cunard to become part of their Entertainment Staff, and my dream nearly imploded before it had even begun as I was informed that there were no positions available! Not to be beaten I went to work for another cruise line until finally, last September, I came home to Cunard as the Assistant Entertainment Director aboard Queen Victoria.

In September of this year, my father travelled with me for the Queen Mary 2 Round Britain Voyage. You can imagine how proud I was as we sailed into Liverpool together. Sharing the moment by phone with my Uncles Anthony and Vincent, where 58 years earlier my Grandfather’s love affair with Cunard had began.