Cruise Liner Fan

Years ago, in the hey day of Cunard Characters who regularly sailed on the QE2, I had the privilege to take afternoon tea with both Bea and the Opera Diva at the same table. Both of the ladies while in their later years of life had egos way too large for a single tea table in the Queens Room on the QE2 so it was great fun observing the posturing and fained attempts at being polite etc.

 

Bea had a double inside cabin that had one of the beds removed and replaced with a sofa and floor lamp to make it more of a living quarters than a simple inside cabin. (I never was inside but did see this much one day when her door was open for cleaning.

 

Her children had to book passage to visit her. One son is quite an accomplished musician and we enjoyed a few chats as he lives close to where I used to reside. One day I overheard Bea telling the son that she was tiring of ship living because while she had loads of acquaintances, she had no friends. No one stayed long enough to get to that level of social acceptance.

 

When the QE2 was sold, Cunard made it quite difficult to book extensive trips on the QM2.There were no long term residence discounts as had been offered on the QE2. One got the impression that they really preferred not to have year round passengers. One of the problems is such. When on a cruise even a world cruise one makes every effort not to have a bad hair day in public. Bea on the other hand saw the QE2 has here home and had no problem calling out staff and management if she thought things were not up to snuff. Towards the end when little cut backs that all lines have been making of late were being made, Bea was incensed by them and stated it rather loudly to all who would hear. One day the piano player was quite late in arriving for afternoon tea playing and she gave it to him with both barrels. Cunard most likely feels they do not need this just to sell a cabin 52 weeks straight out.

 

She was a diamond in the rough and I am most happy to have sailed with her.

I believe Pier 90 (had been the "Cunard" Pier) is still used:

 

 

Although when I arrived on QM2 in 2011 (on that crossing she used the Manhattan Cruise Terminal ("West Side Piers") instead of Redhook), QM2 tied up at Pier 88 (had been the "French Line" Pier)

 

 

Hope this helps :)

It's got to happen first though, we are still waiting for the QE2 project to start.

 

David.

Finding an itinerary niche for SSUS could be challenging for Crystal. Crystal operates cruise vacations, not transatlantic crossings. Also, IMHO the demand is not large enough for two regularly schedules transatlantic crossings. The lack of balconies would seem to keep the ship out of the tropics where balconies are more heavily used and expected. This assumes of course that Crystal does not reconfigure the superstructure to add decks and balconies.

Yes, it will be more expensive, probably around what the Grills cost but Crystal is all inclusive too. I expect food and service will be a cut above and if they do a more rapid Transatlantic than the current slow slog on QM2, I feel they will do well. The decor will probably be much nicer than the original ever was. I am interested to see what plans they have for engines. That should tip us off a bit as to what they really intend.

Jim, If Crystal Cruises does renovate the SS United States, the engine plans should be like what Cunard did to the QE2 in 1986-87 when her propulsion plant was changed from steam to diesel-electric. The question I m asking is will Crystal Cruises keep the propeller shafts or change to pods? It is my guess that the SS United States will probably keep her propeller shafts since her underwater stern section is not flat like the QM2's is and the QM2 does have pods. Regards,Jerry

That color scheme painted onto that picture of the QM2 is like painting a moustache on the face of the Mona Lisa. Regards,Jerry

Happy April Fools Day.

Now that Crystal Cruises is doing a feasibility study about restoring the SS United States to service,the results of this study will be announced in November of this year, does anyone here think that can the renovated SS United States steal some passengers away from the Cunard Line if Crystal Cruises does renovate the SS United States? The renovated SS United States will only carry about 800 passengers and with only 800 passengers aboard the renovated SS United States the fares can be much more expensive than Cunard but I do admit to giving the renovated SS United States a try if I can afford it. The voyages for the SS United States are rumored to be worldwide cruises and transatlantic crossings if Crystal Cruises does renovate the SS United States. Regards,Jerry

And billions cheaper than what we in NJ are spending to raise the Bayonne Bridge to 215 ft clearance.

Just sorting a large box of memorabilia and came across an advertisement for Cunard in 1913

 

New York to Fishguard and Liverpool

Lusitania - Mauratania - Aquitania

 

New York to Queenstown, Fishguard and Liverpool

Caronia - Campania - Carmania

 

New York to Madeira, Gibraltar, Algiers, Monaco, Genoa, Naples, Alexandria, Trieste, Fiume, Messina and Palermo

Carpathia - Saxonia - Pannonia - Coronia (fall and winter) - Franconia - Laconia

 

Boston - Queenstown, Fishguard and Liverpool

Franconia and Laconia

 

Montreal to Plymouth and London

Andania - Alaunia - Ascanbia15 proud ships -

 

It was a good year just before the war came and changed the world forever.

But I am sure that the Aquitania did not enter service until 1914 not 1913. Regards,Jerry

I was just looking up cruises and saw that the Queen Victoria will be in Hamilton quite a few times in 2017. I didn't think a ship of that size could fit into Hamilton? That's why most ships dock at King's Wharf. Will she fit??

Does anyone know if the nightclub/disco will be moved to another area of the ship? The current G32 Club is o.k., but I remember the Yacht Club aboard the QE2 and I have always thought that the QE2 Yacht Club was better than the G32 Club aboard QM2. Regards,Jerry

A smaller second cruise liner would allow the 15% - 20% of people; doing a double voyage TA, to do a land based holiday mid cruise either in the USA or Europe. Currently QM2 shuttles to Hamburg which gives people the chance of a short break if they fly back to UK. With two ships the length of available time at each end could be varied to suit many different potential markets through the season. In addition you need to remember that people are dropped off in USA for land based holidays of five days, however anyone dropped off in Europe just prior to this need to wait for the ships return including those extra five days. This might suit some European tourers but not all. The smaller liner would also do excellent premium cruises Cunard style.

 

Regards John

 

Regards John

While some of the refit plans are welcome a few are terrible..I hate the locations of the new single cabins and the loss of public space..and Im surprised the added deck was not some kind of ultra-suite style as that seems all the rage in today newbuilds...QM2s once unmatched Q1-2s are now surpassed by a number of new ships...

Thanks Pepper. Regards,Jerry

The Queen Mary has been in films and on TV. Such as being filmed as the Titanic in the movie S.O.S. Titanic, In a movie with Frank Sinatra titled Assault On A Queen, In an episode of the TV series titled The X-Files and of course the movie The Poseidon Adventure. There are others that I can't think of and does anyone know if the Queen Mary was used in the made for TV movie Goliath Awaits? Here is a youtube link to another made for TV movie that was filmed aboard Queen Mary titled Adventures of the Queen that was first shown on TV in 1975

I want that ... I have no room for it, but I want that :)

Does anyone know if the new staterooms to be re-fitted aboard QM2 next May will also include single passenger staterooms like the single passenger staterooms recently added to the other Cunard Queens, Queen Elizabeth & Queen Victoria? Regards,Jerry

As I said the 8 day crossings not selling and I have a friend working onboard also I picked up the phone and asked.

Thank You Transatlantic Fan. Regards,Jerry

Qm2 8 day crossings are changing to 7 day and they are adding a 4 night European cruise in Oct or Nov 2016.

Dry dock remains in May 2016.

I have just phoned Cunard and they can no longer book the crossings in Oct/Nov 2016.

And they have no idea why.:confused:

Maybe the QM2's refit schedule was changed from May to October into November? Regards,Jerry

Mid 60s, I think he was born in 47/48

Thanks, Jim. Regards,Jerry

As soon as I saw the title of this thread I had a bad feeling that he had passed away.

 

I am saddened to hear this. His knowledge of ocean liner history was immense and awe inspiring.

 

I first came across him on the excellent documentary series 'The Liners' (the best liner doco series every produced in my view).

 

This makes me wonder what will happen to maintaining discussions of liner history in years to come. All the experts seem to be in their twilight years (or edging towards it). I don't know of any young liner historians out there.

 

Question is whether there is a place for such people in the future. Has it all been covered by the brilliant Maxtone-Graham and co?

I remember when I was aboard the QE2, I saw that a husband & wife were over by the outdoor pool which is located at the QE2's stern. Anyway the husband stood up and took off his clothes and jumped into the pool in his underwear which was a colored brief underwear. I could tell that it was a colored brief underwear and not a speedo because a speedo would not have a white waistband sewn on the top of the garment. And I thought that was very low class for anyone to jump into the pool in their underwear :eek: If this man wanted to go swim in the pool is it too much to ask that they wear swimming trunks in the pool? Regards,Jerry