3895 Cunard Yankees Cunard Yankees or Cunard Yanks. This is the nick-name given to youths who served on the big Transatlantic passenger liners in the catering branch. They may be kitchen hands, pantry or cabin boys, or waiters. They have been given this name because of their clothes, their accent and their financial open-handedness. Southampton 1956 The Shipping Federation controlled the allocation of jobs.