Cunard 4 ship itineraries

One of the things I am (potentially) looking forward to when Cunard expands to 4 ships will be the additional options available from the added flexibility to try new itineraries - I am wondering, though, if we will simply get more of the same, or whether they will really shake things up with some new routes? Currently they only have one or two round-Britain cruises per year, I don’t know if this is because it’s not that popular or if they can’t offer more with only 3 ships to dispatch, and one of those being tied up in the med and one on atlantic run much of the time.

It would also be nice if they could keep one of the ships Southampton based in the early part of the year when the others are doing the world cruise, it’s always nice to have the option to squeeze in a weekend trip now and again, and I wouldn’t ever do a fly-cruise, especially not out half way round the world!

This is also where a second liner would come in handy - being able to nip down to the med at 28 knots would make a 10-12 day Southampton-Meditteranean roundrip more feasible, as long as they could make the fuel costs work with a more efficient power plant!

I would like to see more America based voyages. Caribbean voyages, Panama Canal transits and more based in China/Japan. And I would like to see a 4th option on the world/grand voyages.

New itineraries?? How about bringing some of the old ones back.... Cunard's almost complete purge of the Mediterranean from its offerings in 2019 remains a real head scratcher indeed. It's Baltic, Britain or Bust. I have heard many explanations for this: security issues in many Med ports, a shifting emphasis on the German market, but none of those quite explain an almost complete deletion of an entire region.

A lot of these lines might regret building these mega ships: there is not an inexhaustible number of ports worldwide that can sustain dumping 3000 plus folks off at a pop let alone multiple ships. And those that do are being swamped, swarmed and saturated to ruination: Venice comes readily to mind. Many are restricting cruise ship calls already as a result. And for good reason. I don't want to go to these places with 15,000 others in a single afternoon.

Getting There is Half the Fun. It might just be the Destination even for Cunard cruises (and others) before too long.

New itineraries?? How about bringing some of the old ones back.... Cunard's almost complete purge of the Mediterranean from its offerings in 2019 remains a real head scratcher indeed. It's Baltic, Britain or Bust. I have heard many explanations for this: security issues in many Med ports, a shifting emphasis on the German market, but none of those quite explain an almost complete deletion of an entire region.

 

A lot of these lines might regret building these mega ships: there is not an inexhaustible number of ports worldwide that can sustain dumping 3000 plus folks off at a pop let alone multiple ships. And those that do are being swamped, swarmed and saturated to ruination: Venice comes readily to mind. Many are restricting cruise ship calls already as a result. And for good reason. I don't want to go to these places with 15,000 others in a single afternoon.

 

Getting There is Half the Fun. It might just be the Destination even for Cunard cruises (and others) before too long.

I’d guess regarding the Med would be that they struggle to fill the ships when you have to fly out and meet it. Part of the appeal of cruising is not having to go through the rigmarole that flying has become. I don’t know how the security concerns on the southern Mediterranean shore, or the potential to encounter a boat full of migrants and having to do something about that plays into it, but I’d suggest sticking to Southern France, Spain and Northern Italy might mitigate that to some extent?

It’d be interesting to see Cunard try their hand at a ‘cruise to nowhere’ - especially if they were to use a bigger ship like a royal class and brainstorm ideas about what additional features they could add sans rock climbing and zip lining! A cruise featuring just ‘sail pasts’ would also be interesting...

Oh I wouldn't do a "fly cruise" to the Med on a bet, I was more referring to the traditional Southampton-Med itineraries with lots of sea days and not getting within 500 miles of an airport. I suspect Cunard hates these since they burn up a lot of fuel even if they don't do anything like they did 25 years ago when you could take QE2 to Istanbul and back in 16 days.

Since in my opinion having 4 ships do world cruises is just too many cabins to sell, I am hoping that Cunard during the Winter and early Spring months has the QM2 do both crossings and Caribbean and Mediterranean cruises from both Southampton & New York once the new Cunard Cruise Ship Queen enters service in 2022. Regards,Jerry

I would like to see more America based voyages. Caribbean voyages, Panama Canal transits and more based in China/Japan. And I would like to see a 4th option on the world/grand voyages.

I think US, Caribbean, Panama, and a China/Japan/Australia will be the likely itineraries of one ship after the new one is launched. Could be the new ship or even QE they deploy.

Rather than a fourth world cruise, I suspect one ship will do a Trans Pacific cruise lasting 70-75 days or so.

One word: Asia.

Maybe another: Australia.

What I would like to see is a world cruise starting in late November or early December. That way, you would have Christmas and New Year away in a destination other than the Caribbean or Europe. Keep it to around 100 days, and they would then be able to do March voyages from Southampton.

I would love to see a ship based in the Americas for part of the year. I dearly love the QM2, but would also love for a different ship to offer more US-based itineraries other than those occurring as part of a World Cruise.

Also - does anyone know if the new ship can transit the Panama Canal? (It seems that most large ships built in the past 15-20 years were larger than "Panamax" sized. And with the expansion of the canal, but the remaining limitation of the Bridge of the Americas, I don't know if that phrase still has meaning)

I would love to see a ship based in the Americas for part of the year. I dearly love the QM2, but would also love for a different ship to offer more US-based itineraries other than those occurring as part of a World Cruise.

 

Also - does anyone know if the new ship can transit the Panama Canal? (It seems that most large ships built in the past 15-20 years were larger than "Panamax" sized. And with the expansion of the canal, but the remaining limitation of the Bridge of the Americas, I don't know if that phrase still has meaning)

If the new ship's dimensions are like the Pinnacle design displayed, it should fit under the bridge. QM2 is much larger and is only just too tall at the funnel unless it's really low tide.

I would love to see a ship based in the Americas for part of the year. I dearly love the QM2, but would also love for a different ship to offer more US-based itineraries other than those occurring as part of a World Cruise.

 

Also - does anyone know if the new ship can transit the Panama Canal? (It seems that most large ships built in the past 15-20 years were larger than "Panamax" sized. And with the expansion of the canal, but the remaining limitation of the Bridge of the Americas, I don't know if that phrase still has meaning)

I think the reason Cunard stick to TAs and New England/ Canada itineraries in the states and generally avoid the Caribbean is because the market your side is a lot more cut throat competitive and crowded with other big players - and they don’t have the mind share of the likes of Royal Caribbean or Carnival or even Princess. In Britain, unless you’re really into cruising, I think the lines that would immediately come to mind would be P&O for a general family holiday, or Cunard if you want something slightly more upmarket - they would have to really work at getting to that position in the states. Though I guess if you don’t try you’ll never get there...

Isn’t there also a law that prohibits all non US built ships from calling directly between US ports with no foreign one in between? That also likely limits Cunard’s options...

What I would like to see is a world cruise starting in late November or early December. That way, you would have Christmas and New Year away in a destination other than the Caribbean or Europe. Keep it to around 100 days, and they would then be able to do March voyages from Southampton.

Staggering them would also be a very good idea, especially as you suggested if you had a couple of options for November-March, and a couple for January-May leaving the other ships free to continue their regular schedules for longer. I’d definitely like to see something like that

Glad to hear she'll fit.

Agreed on the limitations of the Caribbean - it's not a great fit for Cunard, aside from an itinerary or two. However, that still leaves Alaska, and Mexico & Canal transits. As well as the existing Bermuda and Canada itineraries. Much like HAL.

And you're correct. The Passenger Services Act requires non-US ships travelling RT from a US port to visit any foreign port, and between different cities, a "far" foreign port (Canada, Mexico and most of the Caribbean does not count, but S. America and the ABC islands are so classified - which is why full canal transits will call on Columbia or Aruba) It limits US itineraries, including to my home town of San Francisco, but a cursory glance at the many offerings by the cruise lines from the States will show that the limitations are not insurmountable.

I'll be champing at the bit to learn more about the ship over the next five years. Hurry up 2022!

-Mark

I just came up with a dream itinerary for us folks in San Francisco, should the Passenger Services Act (similar to the Jones Act) be rescinded.

Two combinable 7 night itineraries. I think the scheduling is do-able. Probably allow boarding & disembarking at all mainland ports but limit booking to disallow 2 night segments to limit the party cruise atmosphere and cut-rate competition.

Fri - Depart San Francisco

Sat - at sea

Sun - Los Angeles

Mon - Wed - Pacific cruising - three nights

Thurs - Kona/Kailua, Hawaii

Fri - Honolulu turnaround

Sat - Lahaina, Maui

Sun - Tues - Pacific cruising - three nights

Wed - San Diego

Thurs - at sea

Fri - San Francisco turnaround

- Mark