The most spectacular event this week in the cruise industry was the Cunard Royal Rendezvous in New York. All three of Cunard’s Queens - - Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth - - were in port for the day and Cunard orchestrated numerous events including ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, bathing the Empire State Building in lights that matched the traditional Cunard funnel colours and culminating in a giant fireworks display as the three ships left the harbour.
The arrival of three ships from one cruise line in New York Harbour is not all that unusual and certainly not enough to turn the heads of most New Yorkers. Furthermore, while the three Cunarders are big ships, they are not the biggest ships afloat. Why then was the Royal Rendezvous something to note?
The reason is two-fold. First, Cunard has a relationship with New York that goes back over a century. Shortly after the line was founded in 1840, New York became the western terminus for Cunard’s transatlantic crossings. Over the years, the City grew and Cunard grew. Indeed, walking around the City one can still see the Cunard name on buildings and on piers, which testifies to the fact that the line has played a not insignificant role in the story of the City.
Second, New Yorkers admire those who are the best at what they do and for many years, Cunard was the undeniable champion of the passenger ship industry. Even today, the names Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and QE2 summon up images of grandeur and grace. This mystique has been inherited by today’s Cunarders.
This year’s Royal Rendezvous almost did not happen. A severe blizzard struck the City the day before the event. If it had been a day later, the event could not have happened. Moreover, had the lingering winds stayed above 25 knots, the authorities would not have let the events go forward. As it turned out, the day was beautifully clear although bitterly cold.
I managed to skate across the snow and ice that remained on New York’s sidewalks and streets to photograph all three of the ships at their various berths in Brooklyn and Manhattan. In addition, I attended the press conference held by Cunard at Pier 88 where the line was showcasing the new Queen Elizabeth, which entered service last October. Also seen around the pier were such Cunard celebrities as Commodore Bernard Warner, Commodore Ronald Warwick (ret.), Captain Ray Heath (ret.), Captain Inger Olsen, Captain Julian Burgess and Carnival Corporation CEO Micky Arison.
As darkness fell, I took my Nikon to the 14th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel overlooking Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan island. There on the open balcony amongst the television crews and the people directing the fireworks display, I was treated to the sight of the giant ships proceeding in stately procession through the harbor as fireworks illuminated the Statue of Liberty. It was an unforgettable sight that made standing in the icy wind worthwhile.
My photo essay of the 2011 Royal Rendezvous begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Cunard-Royal-Rendezvous.html and the remarks of Cunard President and Managing Director Peter Shanks at the press conference are reported at http://www.beyondships.com/Cunard-Royal-Rendezvous-Shanks.htm.
Changing topics. I have also added a brief interview with Hotel Director Denis Prguda and Entertainment Director Julie Valeriote of Norwegian Epic. I first met Denis and Julie on Norwegian Pearl and know them to be true professionals. Consequently, I was very much impressed by the sincere enthusiasm with which they speak about Epic. The interview is at http://www.beyondships.com/NCLEpic-HD.html
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