Want QE2 history here

[Ab Ovo]

Can anyone here help? Anyone riding then who can say what happened and when?

 

The last I saw in 1990, the original one-seating restaurant on Quarter Deck had been Columbia since day one. The two-seating restaurant on Upper Deck began as Britannia, turned into Tables of the World, turned into Mauretania. (Now THAT was a handsome room; navel blueprints, models, brass, burl walnut picture frames. The lads didn't even mind working in the brickyard.)

 

Seen again in 1999, all was different. The Quarter Deck room was called Caronia, with the model of the Mauretania (which it isn't, another story) out front. The Upper Deck room was called Mauretania, but was all green, silver, sunburst and mirror inside. And the brickyard was the Crystal Bar.

 

The rooms are that way today.

 

I was told: in the '90's sometime, "they" of the line re-did the two main restaurants, changing interiors and names. They turned Columbia into Mauretania. They turned Mauretania into Caronia.

 

I was also told they flipped the seatings, the one-seating room went to Upper Deck as the Caronia and the two-seating room went to Quarter Deck as the Mauretania.

 

Passengers fussed. In time they flipped the rooms to as now: one-seating in Caronia on Quarter Deck, two-seatings in Mauretania on Upper Deck.

 

I know the decor and names did change. Did the seatings?

 

Anyone here know of this, was riding then, have the dates?

 

We have now the Caronia looking at a model of the Mauretania in a glass case and we have the Mauretania looking all green goddess-y. And so we press on!

 

Anyone know of all this? Help!

 

And thanks.

 

Ab ovo

[seacruise9]

In 1994, the QE2 received a major refurbishment. During this refit, the name of the restaurant on Upper Deck was changed to Caronia and was single seating. The restaurant on Quarter Deck was named the Mauretania and had two seatings. During a cruise that I did aboard the QE2 in 1996, the restaurants were arranged in this way. However, passengers complained about this arrangement. I think this stemmed from the fact that the ceilings on Quarter Deck are higher and the restaurant on this deck seems grander with its raised entry area.

 

The rooms soon reverted to their previous names. Thus, the restaurant on Upper Deck was renamed Mauretania and the mural of the Caronia on the forward end of the room was painted over. This restaurant currently has two seatings and has looked largely the same since the 1994 refit (however, the chairs were replaced last year). The restaurant on Quarter Deck was renamed the Caronia and reverted to single seating. This room was substantially refurbished in late 1999.

 

I hope this information helps.

[Ab Ovo]

Absolutely! Thanks.

[mtbny7]

This is why the Crystal Bar was created out of what used to be a part of Brit Rest./Tables of the World... it was meant to be a "First Class"-ish cocktail lounge for the passengers of the single seating "Caronia" on Upper Deck along with the stairs down to Brit & Prin grills.

 

Now, it is mostly used by Maurentania passengers as it is right outside their restaurant.

 

Michael