New picture of Queen Elizabeth

[dmwnc1959]

Here's another question for 'the new QE isnt Cunard' crowd. PLEASE tell me how the original Queen Elizabeth, or any 1930's-1960's ocean liner for that matter, would have looked if they had incorporated the design elements of today's modern cruise ships and had 5 decks of balconies and suites (including 20-30 aft facing suites and balconied staterooms) stacked above their lifeboats, if they had ANY swimming pools at all topside, much less two or three of them with jacuzzi's, and toss in for good measure a restaurant or two AND a 15,000 square foot spa, fitness center, and sports deck on their topmost decks? What would they have looked like? I can tell you one thing for sure, their hull designs as well as their superstructures would have been completely different!

 

Here's a challenge for you: redesign the original QE to incorporate all the design features mentioned above and let me know what it looks like when you get done.

 

P.S. Here's the original QE's amazing Games Deck

 

photo by Sue Lawrence

[dmwnc1959]

For some it is an adequate Cunard themed ship, managed and designed by Princess Cruises. Some of us have higher expectations, but we have to keep in mind this is a Carnival Cruise Lines vessel...quality, intgerity and innovation have never been a priority.

 

Wouldnt the nine ships of Cunard between 1971-2004 also be considered 'Cunard themed ships'? They werent designed or built by Cunard, but had the letters 'Cunard' slapped on the side of the ship with a red painted Cunard funnel, and had 'Cunard' themed interiors. So wouldnt that make Cunard a theme based cruise line since 1971?

[Savoia]

Someone please tell me what is Cunard is 'suppose' to 'look' like?

 

Not the end product of Princess Cruises who literally design, operate and manage almost every aspect of the "ocean liner" theme. Owned by the "Hairy Wet Chest Contest" originator and operated by "The Love Boat" company..there is your ocean liner theme.

[Savoia]

Wouldnt the nine ships of Cunard between 1971-2004 also be considered 'Cunard themed ships'? They werent designed or built by Cunard, but had the letters 'Cunard' slapped on the side of the ship with a red painted Cunard funnel, and had 'Cunard' themed interiors. So wouldnt that make Cunard a theme based cruise line since 1971?

 

Not so fast..in all those examples post QE2 and pre Cunardival clone era Cunard then, for better and for worse, had some say in the process wether it was internally or on the exterior. What was a company then is a theme designed and operated by Princess Cruises.

[guernseyguy]

a Carnival Cruise Lines vessel...quality, intgerity and innovation have never been a priority.

 

Remind me, which other line has built a North Atlantic express liner in the last 40 years?

[guernseyguy]

So wouldnt that make Cunard a theme based cruise line since 1971?

 

Indeed! It hasn't been 'Cunard' since the Trafalgar house take over in 1971!

 

And for many of us who sail on Cunard its been much better run by a shipping company, funnily enough. Oh, and the 'Love Boat' company was a wholly owned British business, P&O - even older than Cunard!

[dmwnc1959]

Not so fast..in all those examples post QE2 and pre Cunardival clone era Cunard then, for better and for worse, had some say in the process wether it was internally or on the exterior. What was a company then is a theme designed and operated by Princess Cruises.

 

KEVIN: I think you and I may have had this 'discussion' elsewhere? ;)

 

My response to you at the time, regarding Cunard having their own autonomy, was this:

 

Is that what drove the company into near financial ruin? Is that what put Cunard into such a poorly looked upon position that no one even wanted it when put up for sale by Kvaernar? Because they had ‘say’ in what direction they wanted to ‘go’. I guess then the ‘autonomy of, an under Cunard’ failed? Cunard from 1971-1998, on it’s own and under their own autonomy, (did they actually have their own autonomy under 27 years of ownership under Trafalgar House and Kvaernar?) did this on their own, and quite so before Carnival Corp ever stepped into the picture: they lost their identity, were no longer an entity, became a theme based fleet, and even worse, literally destroyed the old Cunard ‘brand’ and dwindled from 13 to a fleet of 5 ships.

 

Apparently what they were doing under ‘their own autonomy’ didn’t work out very well.

[guernseyguy]

Apparently what they were doing under ‘their own autonomy’ didn’t work out very well.

 

Reading Potter & Frost's history of the construction of the QE2 it was little short of a miracle she was built at all - the independent Cunard was more or less in free-fall, and many times in QE2's early career there were grim predictions that she would be withdrawn or scrapped.

 

Trafalgar House were no great shakes as owners either - they did not design or build a single ship in the quarter century until they were taken over by Kvaerner.

 

Then Carnival comes along - and builds three in six years!

[dmwnc1959]

Reading Potter & Frost's history of the construction of the QE2 it was little short of a miracle she was built at all - the independent Cunard was more or less in free-fall, and many times in QE2's early career there were grim predictions that she would be withdrawn or scrapped.

 

Trafalgar House were no great shakes as owners either - they did not design or build a single ship in the quarter century until they were taken over by Kvaerner.

 

Then Carnival comes along - and builds three in six years!

 

As I understand it Kvaernar had held board meetings and it was reportedly put up for vote to either attempt to sell the five ship fleet again or scrap them all, including the then 29 year old QE2. No one wanted them the first time, and only Carnival Corp nibbled the second time, buying the brand and its fleet for $500 million.

[guernseyguy]

What an idea!! Perhaps Princess might actually bring in a British designer

 

You mean like this:

 

 

 

Or this:

 

 

Nah.....they'd never think of that, would they?:rolleyes:

[guernseyguy]

Meanwhile.....We Are Cunard has the latest on the QE theatre.....while it looks jolly pretty, I do wonder at them taking Frank Matcham, a Victorian/Edwardian designer as their inspiration.....then 'sticking on' 'Art Deco' motifs, when it might have been better to start from Basil Ionides and his Savoy Theatre interior:

 

 

But would that have been pastiche? Or homage? :rolleyes:

[dmwnc1959]

A wonderful video showing footage from 1948 of the original Queen Elizabeth:

 

[pnhmrk]

Queen Elizabeth's shops

 

I received an email from CWC today. It was broadcasting the fact that Fortnum & Mason will have their first seagoing branch aboard. What will a grocers do on a cruise ship? :D

[hcrane]

I received an email from CWC today. It was broadcasting the fact that Fortnum & Mason will have their first seagoing branch aboard. What will a grocers do on a cruise ship? :D

 

Maybe they will sell clotted cream?:D

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I received an email from CWC today. It was broadcasting the fact that Fortnum & Mason will have their first seagoing branch aboard. What will a grocers do on a cruise ship? :D

Maybe there will also be shopping carts aboard the QE in the QE's grocery store :D Regards,Jerry

[Sauer-kraut]

Special hampers to be ordered for your outdoor deck picnic.

 

Tuck boxes for those who are away from home for a long time...

 

They do sell some clothing on the upper floors of their landbased shop, so maybe some nice logo'd trinkets will be offered near the gold by the foot table...:D

[guernseyguy]

Maybe they will sell clotted cream?:D

 

Sadly, no, just

 

unique teas, preserves, biscuits and gifts

 

And then there is

Chopard: For 150 years, Chopard has offered watches and jewellery of exceptional quality, exclusively created to the highest standards in Geneva. To celebrate the launch of Queen Elizabeth, the company has produced the Chopard Queen Elizabeth watch – a limited edition watch combining the dual branding of Chopard and Cunard and available at $18,000; both luxury and heritage brands.

 

And for poor people:

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s introduction, three brands have launched special items:

• Clogau: The jeweller to The Queen has produced a gold Queen Elizabeth limited edition pendant exclusively for Cunard.

• Rotary: A specially-commissioned Queen Elizabeth watch will only be available on board the new Cunarder.

• Halcyon Days: The company has commissioned a special pill box that links the heritage of the brand with luxury at sea.

 

Nice idea to have a largely British theme.....but I won't be buying a Chopard, limited edition or no......I expect Sir Martin will have much more favourably priced examples.....:eek:

[Norfolk Brit]

I expect Sir Martin will have much more favourably priced examples.....:eek:

 

The tin mine is on overtime, the 'gold' platers are on standby...

 

Sir Martin

[Cruachan]

Nice idea to have a largely British theme.....but I won't be buying a Chopard, limited edition or no......I expect Sir Martin will have much more favourably priced examples.....:eek:

 

Well, he sold me a lovely Rolex Oyster Perpetual three years ago. And I have to say it is wonderful. Even after all that time it is still extremely accurate - twice in every 24 hour period it tells exactly the right time :D

 

I just don't know how he does it at the price.

 

J

[garigoun]

What will a grocers do on a cruise ship? :D

 

 

Groce?? (With apologies to G.K.C.)

Gari

[Jim Avery]

A wonderful video showing footage from 1948 of the original Queen Elizabeth:

 

 

Great video, thanks for posting. It brought back many fond memories of two crossings on her when I was a child. What a beautiful ship. No bad sides to her.

J.

[guernseyguy]

A wonderful video showing footage from 1948 of the original Queen Elizabeth:

 

 

Wonderful video! Like Stephen Payne I remember the Blue Peter programme when Valerie Singleton sailed on QE across the channel - what struck me was the height of the rooms (First Class, of course!) - and seeing this video reminded me of the riveted side of Queen Mary in Long Beach.....and to think, she had barely a dozen years of profitable service ahead of her when this was shot...

[dmwnc1959]

New pictures of QE from this last sea trials departure:

 

http://wearecunard.com/2010/08/breaking-news-queen-elizabeth-goes-on-sea-trials/

[Savoia]

Indeed! It hasn't been 'Cunard' since the Trafalgar house take over in 1971!

 

And for many of us who sail on Cunard its been much better run by a shipping company, funnily enough. Oh, and the 'Love Boat' company was a wholly owned British business, P&O - even older than Cunard!

 

It would be so much better if there was any outside thought on Cunard to live up to the design mess and PR Princess Cruises established in the 1960s puts out..not P&O.

[Savoia]

New pictures of QE from this last sea trials departure:

 

http://wearecunard.com/2010/08/breaking-news-queen-elizabeth-goes-on-sea-trials/

 

Sadly it looks lile the Eurodam and the Nieuw Amsterdam with a red stack with a well worn "British" theme from Los Angeles California.