QE improvements over QV?

[Savoia]

IIRC, there were two theories as to why QV got plastic decking - cost and top hamper (weight up top)....don't think we ever got a definitive answer (there was some environmental hooey, but that was rightly dismissed

 

Wrong Guernsey..Carol Marlow herself stated on Barry Vaudrin's radio show in answering his statement that the QV lacked real teak decking, quote "Teak is enviromentally unfriendly and politically incorrect". Which I found to be a whopper of a statement considering the Eurodam was being fitted out with teak as they spoke. Their interview in archived on his radio show and anyone can still listen to it today. So the "enviromental hooey" as you call it was brought up by Carol herself...go and listen. You can also link to Barry's archived interviews via his Facebook page as well.

 

I read because QV was so heavily altered of the Vistas P&O was running out of budget to fit her out properly and cutbacks had to be made. Hopefully, the lessons learned from QV are applied to Carnival's QE.

[Savoia]

Unfortunately the QV deck plans show exactly the same - but in practice, its not.

 

Kyle - yes, we await Kevin's pronouncement on how the Queen Elizabeth staircase is just the same as Carnival Dream.....well, it goes between two decks - QED!

 

Of course Guernsey...a split staircase design of 2 Carnival ships for the same room being designed/built approximately the same time is merely a total coincidence.

 

It isn't like Carnival would recycle the designs for their mass market line and their "up market"..COUGH!...brand.

[Sarastro]

Of course Guernsey...a split staircase design of 2 Carnival ships for the same room being designed/built approximately the same time is merely a total coincidence.

 

It isn't like Carnival would recycle the designs for their mass market line and their "up market"..COUGH!...brand.

 

Oh goody. The record is still stuck.

[Norfolk Brit]

Wrong Guernsey..Carol Marlow herself stated on Barry Vaudrin's radio show in answering his statement that the QV lacked real teak decking, quote "Teak is enviromentally unfriendly and politically incorrect". Which I found to be a whopper of a statement considering the Eurodam was being fitted out with teak as they spoke. Their interview in archived on his radio show and anyone can still listen to it today. So the "enviromental hooey" as you call it was brought up by Carol herself...go and listen. You can also link to Barry's archived interviews via his Facebook page as well.

 

I read because QV was so heavily altered of the Vistas P&O was running out of budget to fit her out properly and cutbacks had to be made. Hopefully, the lessons learned from QV are applied to Carnival's QE.

 

So, if you read his post carefully, Peter (guernseyguy) is correct?:confused:

 

Mary

[PennyAgain]

As I only voyaged on the QE2 in winter (crossings) it was not allowed to walk all the way around on that deck. In fact it was strongly discouraged to go out on deck at all when the seas were wild. But they kept up the charade of 'reserved' deck chairs even when it was freezing cold.

 

I made a point of going out at least once a day to get fresh air, but those trips were brief.

[Cruachan]

As I only voyaged on the QE2 in winter (crossings) it was not allowed to walk all the way around on that deck.

 

Penny,

 

even on a duck pond calm Med in the height of summer, that forward deck was often closed if there was anything resembling a headwind. So the ability to walk all the way round was frequently not possible.

 

J

[PennyAgain]

Here's a link to a video that shows the walk all the way around on the boat deck of the QE2.

 

I was young on the QE2 and was invited to the doctor's party!

[Cruachan]

Here's a link to a video that shows the walk all the way around on the boat deck of the QE2.

 

I was young on the QE2 and was invited to the doctor's party!

 

 

Oh, that looks cold!

 

Brings back memories though.

 

J

[Savoia]

So, if you read his post carefully, Peter (guernseyguy) is correct?:confused:

 

Mary

 

No..wishfull thinking on Peter's part...using plastic was thought to have been a cheap (and I suspect) long term alternative to doing the job right. What P&O/Princess didn't count on was so many clients having high expectations for Cunard...basically they didn't think anyone would notice. The enviromental issue was brought up by Ms. Marlow herself..something in retrospect she "stepped" in given what other Carnival brands were doing..and still are.

 

It would be interesting to know the cost differential between teak and the plastic Carnival used. I suspect you'll see more of it on their QE...in all likelyhood because it is that much less expensive.

 

It's interesting..Carnival has put more thought and creativity into their mass market brands (I use the term loosely). Than they have with what they market as their upscale brands lately.

[stowaway2k]

Oh, that looks cold!

 

Brings back memories though.

 

J

 

 

As cold as...

 

 

 

 

?

 

:)

[KingoftheQueens]

Not to quibble but to quibble - - the Wardroom was on Boat Deck. (Its entrance was through the doorway marked "authorized personnel only" at the top of the A stairway. When the authorized personnel only door was open, which it was almost all the time, you could see the beveled glass door to the Wardroom from the forward entrance of the Queens Grill). The Captain's quarters were one deck above that and one deck above the Captain's quarters was the bridge.

 

In order to get from port to starboard (or vice versa) at the forward end of the ship when making a circuit of the ship outdoors, one had to walk up a flight of stairs from Boat Deck to the next deck. Thus, at the top of those stairs one was one deck above the Ward Room (and one deck below the bridge). The windows that looked out onto this area were from Captain's quarters.

 

The Captain's sea cabin is not the same as the Captain's quarters. The sea cabin was a small room behind the bridge where the captain could get a few minutes sleep during those times of rough North Atlantic weather when he had to be on the bridge (or nearby) almost continuously.

 

The Wardroom parties were not the same as the senior officer parties. The wardroom party took place on the last night of a crossing and accordingly were informal (defined in those days as jacket and tie). Guests were anyone that a member of the Wardroom wanted to invite. It is true that the Captain could not invite people to these parties as he was not a member of the Wardroom. However, his secretary was and so . . .

 

The senior officer parties were on the thrid formal night of a crossing. The captain, the cheif engineer, the hotel manager and the doctor each had a party. Each of the parties had a reputation. The captain's party typically included all of the VIPs onboard. The hotel manager's party was known for its excellent food. (These were held originally in the hotel manager's quarters but later in the Boardroom and still later in the Yacht Club). The chief engineer's party was known as the most boisterous. (These were held in his quarters adjacent to the captain's quarters). The doctor's party was held in the area immediately adjacant to his office on Two Deck (not in the hospital). They were known for years for having the most young women and so as soon as could politely be done, quite a few junior officers would slip away from their senior officers' parties and join the doctor's party. Later, after a change in medical personnel, the doctor's party became known for its good wine.

 

QM2 does have a wardroom. However, it is too small for parties and does not have the interesting decor of the one on QE2, which had many items that had been donated to the officers during the ship's travels.

 

Quibble away! I'll always welcome a correction! Thanks.

 

Pip-Pip!

[lord of the seas]

I was young on the QE2 and was invited to the doctor's party!

 

Was that to play Doctors and Nurses ;)

[guernseyguy]

No..wishfull thinking on Peter's part...

 

Kevin,

 

Where have you been?

 

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

 

I wrote hypotheses were "cost" and "top hamper" - and the 'environmental' argument was dismissed as Corporately inconsistent.

 

Do bash on.....

 

Peter

 

PS Happy New Year! Looking forward to more rants :D

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

I have cruised aboard two of Holland America Line's Vistas (Westerdam and Zuiderdam) and the Eurodam. I enjoyed the wrap-around promenade decks on these ships (even though the forward portion is essentially a tunnel that connects the two sides of the ship). It is very convenient being able to walk all the way around the deck. I am cruising aboard the Queen Victoria for the first time in April. Why doesn't Cunard open the forward portion so that passengers can enjoy a full circuit of the deck?

[Savoia]

Kevin,

 

Where have you been?

 

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story!

 

I wrote hypotheses were "cost" and "top hamper" - and the 'environmental' argument was dismissed as Corporately inconsistent.

 

Do bash on.....

 

Peter

 

PS Happy New Year! Looking forward to more rants :D

 

 

Peter..Bash On? come on now!

 

I totally mis-read your post...I think it was an automatic reaction to think you'd side with Carnival with P&O's choices for QV and QE. I was listening to the Carol Marlow interview live and when she gave her reasons to Barry it was more than abit laughable. It is a shame when a company doesn't do the job right the first time...and has to lie in order to try and explain it. Hopefully P&O was able to do the QE justice and we'll soon find out I guess.

 

Now, in reference to bashing on...I would never intentionally bash you! Disagree, most defiently..but never bash.;)

 

Happy New Year to you as well!

[guernseyguy]

Why doesn't Cunard open the forward portion so that passengers can enjoy a full circuit of the deck?

 

We don't know - might be worth asking an Officer when you are onboard.

[Cruachan]

We don't know - might be worth asking an Officer when you are onboard.

 

Peter,

 

like you I was able, on one occasion, to complete the circuit because somebody had left the gates open. As there weren't any obvious notices or signs saying "crew only", I just carried on and went all the way round. But I would say that the general "feel" of that section of deck was that it was most definitely a working area and not the sort of place where passengers were welcome. My pre-prepared defence, if challenged, was that the gates were open and I hadn't spotted anything that expressly forbade me from being there. But, in truth, I had the strong feeling that I shouldn't have been there.

 

I suppose it's possible that there could have been some cost driven decision behind making that area crew only. Presumably some additional safety or security features might have been necessary to guard against the possibility of passengers tampering with some of the equipment, or opening something that they shouldn't have opened. And Cunard may have taken the view that you could complete a circuit by simply cutting through the interior of the ship - if memory serves, there are doors on either side pretty close to the point at which the boat deck is fenced off.

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Peter,

 

like you I was able, on one occasion, to complete the circuit because somebody had left the gates open.

J

 

Oh my God. Have you taken up jo**ing:eek:?

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

Oh my God. Have you taken up jo**ing:eek:?

 

Sir Martin

 

That's about as likely as you becoming a father. Hee hee.

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

I can still be cloned. Beware Norfolkians bearing gifts.

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

I can still be cloned. Beware Norfolkians bearing gifts.

 

Sir Martin

 

Thank you.

 

J

[Norfolk Brit]

Pleasure. Will three dozen be sufficient?

 

Sir Martin