Cunard’s PLAYBOY Cruise Ships: How Two Ships Changed Cruising Forever
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Creator's Key Takeaways
These small ships at 14,100 gross tons were originally ordered for overseas national airways, but Kunard acquired them and pushed them into service.
This ambition saw Playboy boss Hugh Hefner get involved in the original designs with rumors circulating that the pair would offer a Playboy experience on board.
Though small by today's standards, these ships literally helped write the book on modern cruising, introducing features and facilities that we now take for granted.
The story of two ships that hardly anyone speaks of today, but which were as important to the Kunard fleet of the 1980s and 1990s as the modern Kunard Queens are to the fleet today.
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About our Bacon Score methodologyYouTube Video Description↓
They were Cunard's most loved cruise ships in the 80s and 90s, but they started life with a link to Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire. This is the story of the Cunard Countess and Cunard Princess; two vessels that rewrote the rulebook on modern cruising, served their country, and met very different fates. Discover the full story behind these forgotten icons of the sea — 🛳️ SUBSTACK: https://themaritimehistorian.substack.com/ 📚 Buy my books: https://www.chrisframe.com.au/books 👕 Buy cruise merch: https://chrisframeofficial.Teemill.com/ 🌐 Find out about our Cruise Consultancy: https://frameandcross.com/ 🚢 My Cunard History Website: https://www.chriscunard.com/ — 🎥 OUR EQUIPMENT: Camera - DJI Mimo Pocket 2: https://amzn.to/3XjXwQn Vlogging Mic: DJI Mic: https://amzn.to/3D3idJP Lav Mic: DJI Lavalier Mic: https://amzn.to/4klRgBA Voice Over Mic: Audio Technica: https://amzn.to/4ij8myg These are affiliate links meaning we may receive a small commission from any sales. 🗺️ CUSTOM CRUISE MAP: Made using AIS (satellite ship-tracking) data, The Cruise Maps show the exact route. Select your cruise, give your map a title, and we'll do the rest. Use my code "ChrisFrameOfficial" for 10% off at: https://thecruisemaps.com/products/p-o-australia-final-voyages-special-edition-maps/chrisframeofficial This is an affiliate link, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through it. — Image References: Permission / License: Bill Miller Collection Ian Boyle: https://tinyurl.com/ianboylecunard Ian Boyle's Simplon Postcards: https://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Cunard.html a Cunard Line Photographed aboard Cunard Line National Archives Released: Cunard Princess: https://tinyurl.com/natarchives1 Cunard Princess: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6479416 Cunard Princess: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6467600 Cunard Princess: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6467599 Pexels / Unsplash / Pixabay etc: Playboy Photo by Max Letek Unsplash: https://tinyurl.com/floating-in-the-air Video by Danilo Arenas: https://www.pexels.com/video/drone-footage-of-cape-san-juan-in-tayrona-national-park-colombia-13820395/ Video by ROMAN ODINTSOV: https://www.pexels.com/video/pink-sky-view-from-a-boat-deck-5668626/ Video by Oleg Gamulinskii: https://www.pexels.com/video/waves-on-graph-and-arrows-falling-down-3945008/ Video by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/video/banknotes-856511/ Video by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/video/a-woman-is-holding-fire-on-the-beach-at-sunset-4440816/ Video by Denys Gromov from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/video/pouring-alcoholic-drink-on-a-cocktail-glass-4765778/ Video by Pavel Danilyuk: https://www.pexels.com/video/bartender-7608985/ Error Tone: https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/windows-error-sound-effect-35894/ IMDB Image of Janet Armstrong: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5565504/ CC BY: Hugh Hefner: © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com CC BY SA 3.0 https://tinyurl.com/hughheffner Cunard Princess C BY SA 4.0 Gillfoto https://tinyurl.com/2wc3rsey Cunard Princess CC BY SA 4.0 Gillfoto https://tinyurl.com/7r7nxdur Cunard Princess CC BY SA 4.0 Gillfoto https://tinyurl.com/a4mzhxwp Bow of ex. Cunard Princess CC BY SA 4.0 דוד שי https://tinyurl.com/mrjuwhdr Cunard Ambassador CC BY SA 3.0 Jtrouw https://tinyurl.com/3te8p8mc CC BY SA 2.0 Florida Keys Public Libraries https://tinyurl.com/3mhaey5m Overseas National Airways DC10 CC BY SA 4.0 Richard Vandervord https://tinyurl.com/5t2d7cej CC.0 NASA https://tinyurl.com/mr32jh9t CC BY SA 2.0 Trondheim Havn Trondheim Norway https://tinyurl.com/bd98fwuy CC BY SA 3.0 Emilio J Rodriguez Posada (1986-) https://tinyurl.com/52jw4e4j Achille Lauro: CC BY SA 3.0 D. R. Walker https://tinyurl.com/2p94ynms Olympic Countess CC BY SA 2.0 MeRyan https://tinyurl.com/2reh9mdf Ocean Countess CC BY SA 3.0 Kalle Id https://tinyurl.com/ysx786f6 Ocean Countess CC BY SA 3.0 Slowmover https://tinyurl.com/25pf99fz Ocean Countess CC BY SA 4.0 Niels Johannes https://tinyurl.com/zrcnp3e9 Golden Iris CC BY SA 4.0 Pjotr Mahhonin https://tinyurl.com/yjjxs6kd Scrapping CC BY SA 4.0 Nayeem Noor https://tinyurl.com/2vwxh75c Trafalgar House CC BY SA 4.0 International Batandrean https://tinyurl.com/7bktkw9h Thumbnail V1: Playboy logo: Image by https://pixabay.com/users/clker-free-vector-images-3736/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=42527 Pixabay. Ship: National Archives -- Tags: #Cunard #cruisenews #cruiseship #cruiseline #cruising #maritime #history #maritimehistory