QE2 after SOLAS 2010?

[geopa]

I agree that Cunard needs to refurbish the cabins on QE2 but didn't they replace all the bathrooms a few years ago, our outside cabin on 5 deck was really run down looking, the bathroom was the only thing that looked new.

 

Maybe Carnival corp is getting cold feet about a newbuild for Cunard?? Is it possible that they may plan a major refit for QE2--spend 50 million ( or more )now on QE2 and just put QV on the shelf for 5-10 years and wait to see how Cunard market share works out.

[dougnewmanatsea]

I have a sneeking admiration for the Princess Grand class inspite of their lack of elegance.

Philistine ;) .

 

But seriously, they aren't bad as floating hotels. I don't like them much as ships though.

 

What can I say - each to his own!

 

there were some real ugly liners built throughout the last century not just at the end of it?

Yes, certainly. Though I think the "ugly quotient" shot way up during the 1990s.

 

didn't they replace all the bathrooms a few years ago

I thought they had, but obviously some slipped through the cracks... I saw photos of Ken's bathroom on QE2 and it was very obvious that unlike most of her bathrooms it had not been replaced in the 1994 refit.

 

And in a high grade cabin no less!

[KenC]

Doug

 

Which Grand class have you been on and why like many others do you divorce the way the ship looks on the outside to her interiors??? They look the way they are due to market forces driving the design - but that's the way it always has been. Do you think the Normandie's hull design would have been chosen if it hadn't been proved more efficient (therefore less expensive to push through the water)? In my opinion if QE2 had some drastic internal refurbishment (including ditching all those awful little box cabins in M class) then inside and out she would be a world beater. Today, as I have said before, she is a second rate cruise ship in a sleek transatlantic liner hull.

 

Geopa

 

Sadly the bathrooms cannot be replaced - it's got to be far too expensive to rip out each individually designed unit and replace it with another (OK so there are similarities between some bathrooms but I am sure that the majority are all pretty non uniform - that's the nature of her design). Any work done in the 90's to bathrooms would have been fairly cosmetic. The C2 cabin we were in before moving to a P2 had an old bathroom with some new tiling and a few new fixtures like the 'art deco' cabinet which held little and concealed an electric shaving point. Cunard will probably be spending up to 50million (dollars) on routine maintenance at her regular drydocking because of her age. To make a real difference they would have to spend a whole lot more. I think Cunard has evolved into a 2 ship fleet and that they will get as much revenue out of QE2 before introducing a replacement, QV.

 

Ken

[Transatlantic Tom]

Tom

 

Guess I'm stuck with the horns, the tail and the trident!!! Will try to refrain from further criticism of QE2 -

 

Would love to catch up with you one of these days for a drink - don't know the Duke of Wellington though, wouldn't you prefer the Commodore Club on QM2???

 

Regards

 

Ken

 

Ken:

 

Please don't refrain from criticizing anything...QE2 included !! Open and honest exchange of opinions is what makes this forum so rich and enjoyable. (I hope you realize that I was just teasing you about the QE2 comments !!) I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with each other's point of view. There must be people out there, to this day, who would have negative comments regarding many of the "beloved old liners" such as the old Queens, United States, Normandie, etc. It's all subjective.

 

As to the drink, I like your idea of meeting in the Comodore Club. We'll have to work on making that happen sometime as I can already tell that I'd love chatting with you !!!

 

(The Duke of Wellington is located near the Red Funnel Ferries piers and quite near the Southampton Maritime Museum, on West Quay Road I think it is. The day my wife and I had a drink there last December, "The Duke" had a nice roaring fire in the fireplace, plenty of liquid refreshments, and a Cunard house flag hanging inside the front door !!! Heaven !!!)

 

Cheers

 

Tom:)

[KenC]

Hi Tom

 

it's always great to exchange views with you - and doesn't it make a change from discussing cream teas, the number of drawers in a cabin or dress codes!!!

 

I know the Duke now - that's a famous bit of Southampton seafront. All the seamen of the pre war golden age of transatlantic liners would drink in the various pubs along there during the turnarounds which could last up to 3 or 4 days. You can just imagine the atmosphere in Southampton at that time. I remember as a boy the special sense you got from being in Southampton during the turnarounds of QM and QE - a kind of buzz or urgency!

 

Anyway about that drink - who knows, drop me a line next time you and your lady wife are passing through Southampton!

 

We seem to have gone right off topic here - oh well then, Tom what is your all time favourite liner and why????

 

Regards

 

Ken

[Transatlantic Tom]

Hi Tom

 

it's always great to exchange views with you - and doesn't it make a change from discussing cream teas, the number of drawers in a cabin or dress codes!!!

 

I know the Duke now - that's a famous bit of Southampton seafront. All the seamen of the pre war golden age of transatlantic liners would drink in the various pubs along there during the turnarounds which could last up to 3 or 4 days. You can just imagine the atmosphere in Southampton at that time. I remember as a boy the special sense you got from being in Southampton during the turnarounds of QM and QE - a kind of buzz or urgency!

 

Anyway about that drink - who knows, drop me a line next time you and your lady wife are passing through Southampton!

 

We seem to have gone right off topic here - oh well then, Tom what is your all time favourite liner and why????

 

Regards

 

Ken

 

 

Ken:

 

Yes, the larger, general topic of ships is a fun one. I gather it's in your blood what with a father in the Merchant Marine (or Navy), was it, and with I gather living on the south coast. I grew up in the city of Seattle, on the Pacific Northwest coast of the states (however my Dad was an airline man !!!).

 

What wonderful memories you obviously have of Southampton back in the "old days". I can only imagine the electricity that must have been in the air back in the old days (esp. 1920s-1950s). Wow.

 

I'm going to have to think about what is my favorite North Atlantic ship. However, if I got to pick a couple of favorite ships I'd say "Mauretania", "Queen Mary" and "Normandie".

 

If you'd like to send me a quick e-mail at trtrapp@stkate.com then I'd love to chat with you about meeting my wife and I for a drink in Southmapton (this December !!).

 

Best wishes, Ken

 

Tom;)

[dougnewmanatsea]

Which Grand class have you been on

I was on GRAND. But they're all the same!

 

No, they're not bad ships... But I don't like them either.

 

I find their exteriors ugly and their interiors exceptionally unimaginative. I also am not crazy about their layout.

 

Do you think the Normandie's hull design would have been chosen if it hadn't been proved more efficient

Of course not.

 

But then, underwater hull design doesn't have that much to do with the external appearance of a ship, either. Witness the RADIANCE-class and MILLENNIUM-class ships - same hull design, totally different external appearance.

[geopa]

Ken C:

If the 90's refurb of the bathrooms was just cosmetic-it must have been a pretty good job, it was the only part of the cabin that seemed up to date appearing-the rest of the cabin looked orginal ( very tired and worn) with little to no AC (yes I know QE2 was built for transatlantic service but that is little comfort to you when in the Carribean in July.)

 

Yes, I agree that Cunard may be destined to be a 2 ship subdision of Princess

but I still wonder if Carnival Corp is looking to put QV on the shelf for a few more years- a major refurb on QE2 might buy if more time--if I remember NCL did something like that to Norway in the early 90's and kept it running until the boiler explosion did it in.

[KenC]

Hi Tom

 

thanks for that - will drop you an e-mail over the weekend. I must add that I was only a boy in the late 50's and early 60's - not the old, old, old days!!!!! My dad was in the merchant navy before the last war - he was always telling me about how he once sailed right up close to the Normandie (lucky dog). I would love to have seen an old four stacker like Mauretania - must have been something to see at speed. I have only been on the south coast for 6 years - I lived in London before that and was brought up in Barry, South Wales (visits to Southampton were made on our annual 2 weeks at the seaside in Weymouth or Bournemouth).

 

P.S. Barry Docks still holds the world record for annual coal exports (1913)

 

Doug

 

Been on Golden and was quite impressed with the interiors - it was the first modern cruiseship I had been on so maybe I was impressed with fresh eyes. Must say I was not the least impressed with Island Princess last January.

 

I didn't mean the underwater section of Normandie's hull - I meant the whole thing, that graceful sleek hull was only adopted after tests proved that Yourkevitch's design was the most efficient. If the French naval architects had had their way then we might have seen a Normandie that looked like a modified Ile de France, somewhat like Cunard's QM took features from Aquitania.

 

I'm sure you must hate the Millennium class - I didn't like much at first sight, but all those perverse angles have grown on me and the interiors are very understated and elegant (and of course Olympic and Normandie Dining Rooms are unbelievable).

 

Geopa

 

I think the tubs, basins and WC's remained and they just tiled and fitted new fixtures - still an extremely expensive job. Not much can be done with the cabins unless all the panelling and fitted furniture is ripped out - can't see that happening. I think there are serious issues with A/C too - but best not go there!!!

 

Don't know how long Cunard can keep QV on a back burner - there can only be so many lines that are suitable for a Cunard 'hand me down' like Arcadia (which is selling extremely well - the trip we have over New Year is almost fully booked). Hopefully they won't push QE2 to the edge like NCL must have done with Norway, but with the old lady having had several 'mishaps' in the past few years (serious leaks, engine break downs etc) nothing is impossible.

 

Regards to all

 

Ken

[dougnewmanatsea]

Been on Golden and was quite impressed with the interiors - it was the first modern cruiseship I had been on so maybe I was impressed with fresh eyes.

This is quite possible. After a while, some of us get very jaded ;) .

 

I have to admit that GRAND PRINCESS was very impressive when new, primarily because of her sheer size and the vast variety of public areas. However I think this design has been outclassed by others that have been introduced since - and Princess have failed to move on from those pastel-ridden "California casual" interiors that are so early '90s.

 

that graceful sleek hull was only adopted after tests proved that Yourkevitch's design was the most efficient.

This is true. It seems to me that once Yourkevitch's design was proven most efficient (which mainly has to do with the underwater bits, as I understand it, though I'm no naval architect), he was allowed to design the rest of the ship too, which resulted in that stunningly beautiful exterior.

 

I'm sure you must hate the Millennium class

The exteriors are quite ugly, but internally they look quite beautiful - though I have not been on one.

[KenC]

Doug

 

My understanding from the books I have read is that the whole hull is a specific design whose efficiency enabled CGT to place smaller engines in the ship - and involved the way the hull above water cut through and dispelled displaced water as well as the aquadynamics of the underwater section. I have also read that it was other naval architects who designed the superstructure, whaleback and funnels based on CGT's brief that the ship should be "as imaginative as possible, within the bounds of good taste."

 

Ken

[KenC]

Hey Tom

 

tried e-mailing you but it just keeps bouncing back to me ????

 

 

Ken

[Transatlantic Tom]

Hey Tom

 

tried e-mailing you but it just keeps bouncing back to me ????

 

 

Ken

 

 

Ken:

 

Typical me...I get so distracted by the lovely topic of ships, then I don't pay attention to what I'm doing (or writing) !!!

 

My correct e-mail address is: trtrapp@stkate.edu.

 

That should work for you !!

 

Absent-Minded Tom:)