Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[Host Sharon]

I believe the proper pronunciation is "coo-NARD", with the accent on the second sylLABle. That is how I recall hearing it aboard the QE2 in 1994, back when the ships were British-registered and the line had not yet been bought by the Carnivore Corporation. In days of yore. Those were the days, my friend, we thought they'd never end, we'd sing and dance forever and a day, we'd live the life we choose, we'd fight and never lose, for we were young, and sure to have our way... ;)

 

Americans always say cooNARD, The Brits say QUEUEnard - take your pick :)

[RalphRackstraw]

Americans always say cooNARD, The Brits say QUEUEnard - take your pick :)

On the Cunard board, there is a thread discussing difference between British and American English, on which I found this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by fizzy1

how do you all pronouce Cunard , i was having this arguement with my adult son, he says it,s CU-nard, with the accent on the first syllable, but i say it's cu-NARD, the stress being on the second syllable, what do you all think?

 

Son is right. CYU-nard.

 

Best thing to do is just get on the ship quickly and sort out the pronounciation onboard. ;)

 

I wonder how Samuel Cunard of Halifax, Nova Scotia pronounced his name? :confused:

[RalphRackstraw]

Cruise Critic Message Boards > Cruise Lines "A - O" > Cunard Line > koo-nard or cue-nard?

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meaty_petey

May 4th, 2007, 11:27 AM

How did Monsieur Cunard pronounce his name? Was the emphasis on the first or last syllable? (If this has question alredy been asked then I apologize - I could not find such a post when I searched the forum).

 

Peter

NovaScotian

May 4th, 2007, 11:50 AM

In Halifax where Mr. Cunard was born we pronounce ka-nard.

guernseyguy

May 4th, 2007, 11:59 AM

 

It has - but I can't find it either. The Oxford English dictionary has:

 

Cunarder: /kju:'na:de/ - the last 'e' is upside down - which I think translates as 'Kew naad er - so it would be 'Kew naad'. Its certainly not Koooooonard!

 

Peter

guernseyguy

May 4th, 2007, 12:01 PM

In Halifax where Mr. Cunard was born we pronounce ka-nard.

 

You do now, how did you pronounce it 220 years ago when he was born?

Druke I

May 4th, 2007, 12:06 PM

Pronounced ka-nard? That sounds like how the French pronounce duck.

sailwithme56

May 4th, 2007, 01:15 PM

Pronounced ka-nard? That sounds like how the French pronounce duck.

I just got back from the QM2. EVERYONE associated with the cruise line pronounced it Cue-NARD with the accent on "nard."

Dr. Cocktail

May 4th, 2007, 01:30 PM

It's pronouned: Car - ni - val!

 

(or is "Car - ni - vil" or maybe "Car -ni - vaal" or just good 'ol "Car - n -evil"!)

meaty_petey

May 4th, 2007, 01:49 PM

I just got back from the QM2. EVERYONE associated with the cruise line pronounced it Cue-NARD with the accent on "nard."

 

If it's good enough for the employees then it's good enough for me! I had always assumed that was the pronunciation but just recently I heard the alternative in two different circumstances. Thanks everyone for clearing this up.

 

(And may I say again that after spending 9 months on the Carnival boards it is so refreshing to read posts written in complete sentences with correct spelling and a tasteful lack of oversized flashing signatures. God bless you people.)

 

Peter

pb82

May 4th, 2007, 03:02 PM

How did Monsieur Cunard pronounce his name? Was the emphasis on the first or last syllable? ...

The best advice on pronunciation is by William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White in "The Elements of Style":

 

If you don't know how to pronounce a word, say it loud! ... Why compound ignorance with inaudibility? Why run and hide?

 

PennyAgain

May 5th, 2007, 08:49 AM

Roger Donaldson, chief wine steward on the QE2 prior to his retirement was a 55 year Cunard employee. He pronounced it as in the French way of pronouncing 'duck'. Ka-nard. He retired from Cunard in 1978.

 

The change in pronounciation by current employees may be due to the international nature of the people who now work for that company.

e.durban

May 5th, 2007, 10:41 AM

There are various 1930's British newsreels featuring the restart of work on, and the eventual launch of, the original Queen Mary. The announcer always pronounces the company name Cue-NARD (accent on last syllable.) Best. David

Lanky Lad

May 5th, 2007, 12:48 PM

It would be very apt if the name Cunard did derive from the French for Duck. Just think of all those people who have crossed the Atlantic on a duck.

The plot thickens! Notice that in this 2007 thread, the always-thoughtful and much-missed Druke I added a comment.

[Host Sharon]

Michael certainly is much missed!

 

There are two separate issues here as I see it. Koo or Queue and whether the emphasis is on Cu or Nard. Personally I always pronounce it QUEUEnard but I doubt everyone will agree.

[MMDown Under]

Michael certainly is much missed!

 

There are two separate issues here as I see it. Koo or Queue and whether the emphasis is on Cu or Nard. Personally I always pronounce it QUEUEnard but I doubt everyone will agree.

 

For what it is worth, I pronounce it Queuenard also. It must be the British heritage in me!

[Saga Ruby]

The plot thickens! Notice that in this 2007 thread, the always-thoughtful and much-missed Druke I added a comment.

 

Michael is, indeed, missed. He died on 23 Jan 2011 - amazing that he has been gone for a year and yet it seems such a short time. Thanks for mentioning him - I have such fond memories of Druke I.

 

There are two separate issues here as I see it. Koo or Queue and whether the emphasis is on Cu or Nard. Personally I always pronounce it QUEUEnard but I doubt everyone will agree.

 

I'm fascinated with everyone's answers. I have always said QUEUE-nard so Marion - does this make me British? Wa-hahaha!

 

Ralph - thanks for the research on the Cunard pronunciation query. Quite interesting.

 

Sharon - I've been watching the News on CCritic about Adonia and the emergency repairs. I'm sure everything will be put right by May when you cruise on her. Thoughts? And did you make the Oceana debut?

 

Ruby

[Host Sharon]

I'm not too bothered by Adonia's issues, whatever they are (and I'm not too sure). I coped with Artemis' engine problems and they were much worse but made for an interesting cruise!

 

Yes - I did make Oceana for the book signing - a lovely day with lunch in the Officer's Mess and then three hours in the atrium. The only downside was the six hour round trip to get there!

 

The book is being well received everywhere (aside from a snide comment by the people that lost out the commission to us!)

[MMDown Under]

I'm fascinated with everyone's answers. I have always said QUEUE-nard so Marion - does this make me British? Wa-hahaha!

 

Ruby

 

Honorary British at least, Ruby!

 

I'm always fascinated by the different pronunciations within the States.

 

Have you heard the pronunciation for vehicle as vaHEARicle in the south? Many Americans haven't. I've always wondered where that one came from!

 

So pleased to hear that you made the book signing, Sharon, and had a lovely day.

[Conte Di Savoia]

What is the proper pronunciation? Coo-nard or Kyoo-nard? And what is the source for your answer?

 

Thanks!

 

Ruby

 

No less a spokesman than the master of Queen Elizabeth can have the last word on this topic.

If you click here you can hear the proper English (not American) pronunciation. Of course, now that Cunarders are all registered in Hamilton, Bermuda, not Southampton, perhaps that will change.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks Conte - but then Bermuda is British too so at least the Queens will still fly the red ensign.

 

Terrible news from Italy about the Costa Concordia.

Edited January 14, 2012 by Host Sharon

[MMDown Under]

 

Terrible news from Italy about the Costa Concordia.

 

Yes.

 

News has extensive coverage of Costa Concordia, which capsized off the Italian Coast.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4711

 

If what it says under comments that the people hadn't had their safety briefing yet (only required within 24 hours of departure), is true, I can't begin to imagine the chaos and terror those people must have experienced.

[Host Sharon]

It is early days and the news reports all different, but one is suggesting that the captain and first officer (now under arrest) left the ship before all the pax were taken off. If that is true it is disgraceful.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...26pLid%3D92067

[MMDown Under]

It is early days and the news reports all different, but one is suggesting that the captain and first officer (now under arrest) left the ship before all the pax were taken off. If that is true it is disgraceful.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...26pLid%3D92067

 

Yes, our ABC here reported that the Captain had been arrested for abandoning his ship and, like your BBC, they are cautious about checking the facts.

 

They also reported that 23 Australians were on board and 21 had been accounted for at that time.

[RalphRackstraw]

The wreck of the Costa Concordia is dreadfully sad --- and a salutary reminder that every person who goes down to the sea in ships faces a measure of peril. Our thoughts go out to the dead, the missing, the injured, the frightened, and all those trying to ease the suffering.

[Kapricorn]

There's something wrong with the naval architecture of modern cruise ships if three of them have gradually capsized over the past two or three years after having holes poked in their hulls. There was the one in Santorini and another in the Antarctic. Hmm ...

 

I get tired of hearing after every shipwreck that "it was like the Titanic."

 

Donald.

[MMDown Under]

For those who are interested, my review of our cruise on Celebrity Century from Auckland to Sydney, in December, has been published.

 

I have been glued to the internet and TV watching the Costa Concordia disaster unfold. I was delighted to learn that they just rescued two other people from within the ship after so long.

 

I feel this will not only effect future Costa bookings, but also other BIG cruise ships.

[Host Sharon]

Thanks Marion - I'll go take a look.

 

It is great that they are still finding people alive and unhurt in the Concordia. There are several mysteries here in my mind - there is a huge gaping hole in the hull, but the stabiliser is undamaged and why did the watertight doors not prevent total capsize? Having said that, I have always been uneasy about the top-heaviness of these floating monoliths and for it to capsize so rapidly does nothing to ease my concerns.

 

Then there is the issue of the sheer numbers of people on board. A senior P&O officer once said to me that he had worries that if this happened to one of these huge ships at sea and they needed assistance from other vessels, that there would be sufficient ships near enough to take on board 4000+ people.

 

Thankfully Concordia was close to land, unless of course that is what caused the disaster in the first place.

[Saga Ruby]

For those who are interested, my review of our cruise on Celebrity Century from Auckland to Sydney, in December, has been published.

 

Marion - I enjoyed your review. Could you please name the Three Sounds? I only know Marlborough Sound, the one between North and South Island. It is obvious that your cruise was excellent. Donald has spent many happy hours on many Century cruises. The ship has quite a fan club. From the names of crew, I gather that there were Indian hotel staff onboard. Which nationality had the most hotel staff?

 

There are several mysteries here in my mind - there is a huge gaping hole in the hull, but the stabiliser is undamaged and why did the watertight doors not prevent total capsize? Having said that, I have always been uneasy about the top-heaviness of these floating monoliths and for it to capsize so rapidly does nothing to ease my concerns.

 

In 1979, on my first cruise as an adult, I enjoyed strolling the Promenade Deck of Stella Solaris in the warmth of a January in the Panama Canal. Then I realized that the davits of the lifeboats were sealed shut by endless coats of white paint. In no way would there ever be a launch of a lifeboat on that ship in an emergency. That beautiful ship was, in my opinion, a disaster waiting to happen.

 

The vivid dichotomy between routine safety drills and reality are immense. Panic is the first reaction and, at that point, everything else goes a-gloamin'. And few ships in distress retain a full and upright position as the disaster unfolds, so use of which lifeboats becomes a vital concern.

 

Our readers might want to look up Yarmouth Castle on Wikipedia. I sailed on that ship as a child and, years later, when she caught fire and sank, was not the least bit surprised to learn that the Greek captain and crew were the first arrivals at the rescue ships. Because of Stella Solaris and Yarmouth Castle, I vowed never again to sail on a Greek cruise ship.

 

I will not cruise on an apartment barge. Regardless of the p/r surrounding the purported safety of the SS Rollover, the numbers and common sense speak for themselves and add up to an ugly picture in case of a full-blown emergency. I sincerely hope that the megabarges sail forever in safe waters; otherwise, the result might be regrettable.

 

Ruby

Edited January 15, 2012 by Saga Ruby

[MMDown Under]

Marion - I enjoyed your review. Could you please name the Three Sounds? I only know Marlborough Sound, the one between North and South Island. It is obvious that your cruise was excellent. Donald has spent many happy hours on many Century cruises. The ship has quite a fan club. From the names of crew, I gather that there were Indian hotel staff onboard. Which nationality had the most hotel staff?

 

Ruby

 

Ruby - Dusty, Doubtful and Milford, with the latter being the most beautiful by far.

 

Donald was the one who got me interested in Celebrity Century in the first place, as it is my preferred size ship.

 

You know, I didn't notice the nationality. We live in such a multi-cultural country, and our children went to a multi-cultural school, that I don't notice. I know the excellent 2IC in the Dining Room, who checked on our satisfaction after every dinner meal, was Turkish, because he told us.

 

Donald would probably know because he is such a frequent cruiser on Century.

 

I agree with your comments on the mega ships and, like you, wouldn't have gone on them anyway. I love long voyages, as you do, and the first thing I do, when I'm considering a trans Atlantic or trans Pacific, is look at the passenger size of the ship and the second is how I think the ship would handle the possible rough conditions of ocean travel.

[Saga Ruby]

The one factoid that sticks in my mind about this coastal disaster is that Concordia cruises that exact same itinerary for 52 weeks of a given year. So the Bridge staff know the coastline and yet here we are.

 

It is said that a Black Box handles navigation on these new megaships and perhaps an electrical generator went out or burped, putting the ship off its computerized course.

 

Can you tell me if, nowadays, an actual person stands on those slotted wooden boards and steers the ship, or are modern ships on e-directed navigation most of the time?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

Marion, I am delighted that you two enjoyed the cruise on Century. I read not only your review, but some of the others for the same sailing, and all were generally positive. I know a few Turkish maitre d's, so the odds is that I know the one on your cruise. BTW, who was the Captain? Was it Captain Patsoulas, the one who always gives me bear hugs? :)

 

Donald.

[Host Sharon]

The one factoid that sticks in my mind about this coastal disaster is that Concordia cruises that exact same itinerary for 52 weeks of a given year. So the Bridge staff know the coastline and yet here we are.

 

It is said that a Black Box handles navigation on these new megaships and perhaps an electrical generator went out or burped, putting the ship off its computerized course.

 

Can you tell me if, nowadays, an actual person stands on those slotted wooden boards and steers the ship, or are modern ships on e-directed navigation most of the time?

 

Ruby

 

In theory, the auto pilot can take a ship SAFELY from A to B, but in practice there is always a crewman on the helm, a lookout and two officers on the bridge - minimum (at least with P&O anyway!) The autopilot is very to disengage when required, modern ships have radar, GPS and all modern navigation systems. Even the charts are electronic so always completely up to date so the excuse of a rock that moved doesn't hold water (excuse the pun). My worry as a cruiser is that the watertight doors don't appear to have worked and why on earth was such a large ship sailing so close to land. Something somewhere has gone very very wrong but whether it was human or mechanical failure we will have to wait to find out. At least they have the equivilent of the flight recorder recovered.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Host Sharon

[MMDown Under]

The one factoid that sticks in my mind about this coastal disaster is that Concordia cruises that exact same itinerary for 52 weeks of a given year. So the Bridge staff know the coastline and yet here we are.

 

It is said that a Black Box handles navigation on these new megaships and perhaps an electrical generator went out or burped, putting the ship off its computerized course.

 

Can you tell me if, nowadays, an actual person stands on those slotted wooden boards and steers the ship, or are modern ships on e-directed navigation most of the time?

 

Ruby

 

I thought that could have been one of the reasons for the accident, as I know most vehicle accidents happen close to home!! Human nature to not be as much on your guard when you know the route so well.

 

I know they don't steer the ship in the traditional way because I've recently visited the Bridge. When we asked the Captain at a Q&A session on another ship who was steering the ship, he replied Microsoft!

[Saga Ruby]

In theory, the auto pilot can take a ship SAFELY from A to B, but in practice there is always a crewman on the helm, a lookout and two officers on the bridge - minimum (at least with P&O anyway!) The autopilot is very to disengage when required, modern ships have radar, GPS and all modern navigation systems. Even the charts are electronic so always completely up to date so the excuse of a rock that moved doesn't hold water (excuse the pun). My worry as a cruiser is that the watertight doors don't appear to have worked and why on earth was such a large ship sailing so close to land. Something somewhere has gone very very wrong but whether it was human or mechanical failure we will have to wait to find out. At least they have the equivilent of the flight recorder recovered.

 

You raise some interesting questions which, in the months to come, should be answered by whatever board is appointed to oversee the details and revelations of this disaster at sea.

 

Many modern aircraft could be - could be - flown by onboard computers. The Airbus, for example. But, when the chips are down and the rocks are close by, one would hope that a human being would be watching out for our safety on a ship.

 

I know they don't steer the ship in the traditional way because I've recently visited the Bridge. When we asked the Captain at a Q&A session on another ship who was steering the ship, he replied Microsoft!

 

So? Texting while driving?

 

Ruby

[Kapricorn]

In 1979, on my first cruise as an adult, I enjoyed strolling the Promenade Deck of Stella Solaris in the warmth of a January in the Panama Canal. Then I realized that the davits of the lifeboats were sealed shut by endless coats of white paint. In no way would there ever be a launch of a lifeboat on that ship in an emergency. That beautiful ship was, in my opinion, a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Ruby, that was what happened on Lusitania in 1915. The lifeboats in their davits rested on top of collapsible boats on the decks. When the ship was sinking, and after some of the lifeboats were launched, many of the collapsible boats could not be used because these had been painted so often that they stuck to the deck.

 

Donald.