We've got more information on Cunard's newest liner the Queen Victoria, and a little information on the history of the Queen Victoria name and Cunard Lines.
As the story is told by maritime historians Frank O. Braynard and William H. Miller Jr in Picture History of Cunard Line 1840-1990, the original Queen Mary now on display in Long Beach CA, was to have been named the Queen Victoria which would have given it the traditional name ending in -ia that almost all Cunard steamships had at the time. Sir Percy Bates and Sir Ashley Sparkes two of the senior managers at Cunard requested an audience with King George V at Buckingham Palace to inform him that the name of Cunard's newest ship had been choosen. It was Sir Ashley as Cunard's top representative in North America who made the presentation to the King, and he said:
"Your Majesty, we are pleased to inform you that Cunard wishes to name our newest and greatest liner after England's greatest queen." To which the king replied without missing a beat "My wife would be delighted!" and just like that Cunard's Queen Victoria became the Queen Mary! :D
More than seventy years later, Cunard will get it's Queen Victoria in December 2007, her keel laying is scheduled for May 12 of this year at the Fincantieri's Marghera yard outside of Venice Italy.
The Queen Victoria is planned to be 1 meter longer than the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the longest it could be built and still safely transit the Panama Canal. In addition the new ship is expected to have large enough fuel and and storage tanks to cross the Pacific Ocean without needing to fuel or stop for fresh water.
You can find more pictures of Cunard's plans for the Queen Victoria after the jump, and for more information about any of Cunard's itineraries visit www.mycruiseplanner.net or 888-286-9827
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