The legacy of Cunard...

It was a more civilized era, the golden age of sea travel.  Crossing the ocean was a grand event unto itself, the very embodiment of sophistication and privilege. And traveling Cunard was what one naturally chose for such a voyage.  Cunard's glorious ocean liners were floating palaces of art deco splendor and Edwardian excess, surrounding guests with every comfort and luxury.  They attracted the greatest personalities of the day, from world leaders to movie stars, who sipped champagne at festive black-tie soirees and strolled along graceful promenades attired in their finest apparel.  It was the quintessence of luxury travel, and getting there was truly half the fun. 

Cunard continues this celebration of style today proving once again that the journey may be even more magnificent that the destination.

The Industrial Revolution had progressed far enough by the 1830's to make the idea of transatlantic communication by means of a fleet of steamships plausible. The desire for dependable delivery of the mails on which imperial communication and commerce depended prompted the government of Her Majesty Queen Victoria to invite interested parties to bid for a contract to provide this service. Samuel Cunard of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was the successful contender. His contract to deliver the mail across the Atlantic from Great Britain to North America was signed on May 4, 1839, and originally involved a commitment to provide three steamships of 800 tons and 300 horsepower. Samuel Cunard was a highly successful and enterprising Canadian businessman and one of a group of 12 individuals who directed the affairs of Nova Scotia. Cunard had the reputation for being not only a very astute businessman but also an individual with exceptional diplomatic ability.

In order to successfully carry out his contract, Cunard solicited the assistance of Robert Napier, an engineering genius who was responsible for creating the engines of some of the best new ships of his day. Cunard also needed financial backing and received it from three accomplished businessmen: James Donaldson, George Burns and David Maclver. These five men founded the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, later known as "Cunard Line".

Nearly 100 years after its founding, Cunard Cruise Lines lent several of its ships for use as British troop carriers during World War II. No less than Winston Churchill credited them with shortening the war in Europe by a year, as they were able to transport 10,000 troops each trip -- unescorted -- because of their speed.

The company went into decline in the 1960s, after more and more travelers opted to cross the Atlantic quickly, by jet, rather than elegantly and very much more slowly, by ocean liner - but not before its name had become synonymous with elegant transatlantic crossings, and not before the Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, and Caronia, the line's first purpose-built cruise ship, had become the most famous vessels of their times.

By 1998, Cunard had been bought by the wealthy Carnival Corporation, and made part of its Seabourn Cruise Line division. As such, the line's ships either underwent extensive refurbishment or got sold. More recently, Cunard and Seabourn parted paths, and Carnival Corp decreed that Cunard should join forces with Princess Cruises based in California. This move actually made sense as Princess was formerly (before Carnival bought them) part of another esteemed British Shipping company, P&O LTD. Now P&O and Cunard are under the same umbrella, but in California.