Major QM2 interior refit 2016

[pepperrn]

More contractor deconstruction images. The Elbe 17 drydock has its own social media page in German but it's fan operated and not an official company site. Removal of the aft pools here, here, and here. Stacks of plastic piping and one area torn out to the bare walls.

Thanks BlueRiband,

 

It looks to me, on an initial glance, that the photos show the removal of the raised blue-tiled area seen here:

 

 

As I never saw kids using this raised area (which I presume was the intention) I am not upset about it going. (I believe it was provided with 2 water-cannon on the raised platforms for kids to play with?) (Maybe it will become the new "spa" area that I've seen mentioned?).

I note that the deck 6 pool in these photos seems to be shown in-situ (at present). Frankly, for the small number of children carried, losing a dedicated child's swimming pool wouldn't be the end of the world, if it does indeed vanish. I've seen many adults using the deck 6 pool, and very few kids.

 

I guess we'll all know the truth soon enough, and see the results of all this work.

 

Thank you again for the photos and for your research in finding them :)

[pepperrn]

... It looks like the deck 11 Grills Terrace is gone as are the enclosed stairways leading up to them.

Thank you again BlueRiband for the photos.

 

I confess that I can't see what you can see; a combination of my bad eyesight :( and a poor-definition screenshot. So sorry.

 

I can see the Grills Terrace filled with contractor's debris but cannot see enough detail to note the tall enclosed stairways (from deck 8 to 11) in this photo. These stairs are shown on the deck plans for 2017-18 (as is the Grills Terrace). If they removed the tall stairs, maybe this would be to stop non-grills passengers wandering through the Grills Terrace to/from deck 12 (I'm guilty of that one, although I don't hang about). However, removal would greatly inconvenience grills passengers wanting a swim (as opposed to merely sitting in their exclusive hot-tub).

 

It can be difficult, whilst deconstruction work is going on, to work out from photos what is merely temporarily removed for cleaning/maintenance, to be later reinstated, and what is vanishing for good. I hope that, as things come together nearer the end of the refit, the supply of "behind the scenes" photos doesn't dry up! I need to know what they are doing to my favourite ship :)

 

It will be November before I get to see the changes myself.

 

Thank you again.

Edited June 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[Underwatr]

Yes, there will still be some public "sun deck" space left up on deck 13. The new Britannia Club staterooms on deck 13 will take up about half up the previous sun deck space and the "Sports Centre" courts are being relocated from forward to the aft of that space. See this new deck plan for deck 13 for reference (from the Cruise Critic QM2 Deck Plans pages).

 

Presumably there will be some open deck space atop the new Deck 13 staterooms, on a new Deck 14.

[BlueRiband]

An aft image was posted overnight. The Grills Terrace is still there but the stairways and deck 10 QG suite terraces have been removed.

[pepperrn]

Presumably there will be some open deck space atop the new Deck 13 staterooms, on a new Deck 14.

I'm hoping there will be a new "Deck 14".

Of course without the shelter provided by "The Lookout" glass screen and the central deck house (with Regatta Bar), it could be quite "breezy" up there! :eek: .

 

Frequently Deck 13 has been closed off due to "High Winds" (esp on a TA), which makes me wonder if, other than when in port (and sailaways), any new "Deck 14" would ever be open on sea days?

 

Best wishes.

Edited June 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[pepperrn]

An aft image was posted overnight. The Grills Terrace is still there but the stairways and deck 10 QG suite terraces have been removed.

Hi BlueRiband

 

Thanks for the photo.

 

I can see the arches that support the awning over the tables outside of the Verandah (was Todd English), a workman stood on the balcony of one of the Duplex Suites (Deck 9) who appears to be painting (but the teak handrails are missing). I can also see, to the left in the opening between the Duplex Suites, a handrail going up on one of the tall stairways that connect Deck 8 and 11 (which may indicate that the stairs are still there at present). At the top of the photo (left) on the Grills Terrace (Deck 11), there is a guy leaning on the rails around the top of the tall stairway (dressed in white), which could also indicate the steps are still there. I was unaware that there were deck 10 terraces, other than the balconies for the Princess Grill suites along the sides of the ship (and I can't quite see them in this view).

 

Thanks again for this latest photo, much appreciated :)

Edited June 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[rgaudet]

First I've heard of this major aft refit. Should be interesting!

 

Rob

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[sfbearcat]

What you can spot on this picture is the new deck 13..its of course of half finished thou its seen.. As far a public access thou it seems to be service access only

I asked on my Jan3 TA Captains party if that's where the sports deck was going..The reply was no..and from some of those pictures from the deck 13 construction the railings have already been installed and appear to be the same type as on the very high aft end areas where there is no public access.

Edited June 5, 2016 by sfbearcat

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm hoping there will be a new "Deck 14".

Of course without the shelter provided by "The Lookout" glass screen and the central deck house (with Regatta Bar), it could be quite "breezy" up there! :eek: .

 

Frequently Deck 13 has been closed off due to "High Winds" (esp on a TA), which makes me wonder if, other than when in port (and sailaways), any new "Deck 14" would ever be open on sea days?

 

Best wishes.

 

I just want it to be open for the sail under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge into NY!

[paulista1950]

:

I believe the information Ray66 quoted here back in February is an earlier version of the information which is now found here.

 

When is the ship's next refurbishment?

 

Of particular note to your concern is that the wording on this page states the remaining staterooms not refurbished during dry dock (including sheltered balconies on deck 5) will be refurbished "before her 2017 World Voyage" rather than "over 2017" as previously stated. Therefore it is possible your sheltered balcony stateroom 5087 could be refurbished prior to the October 11, 2016 crossing.

 

Regards,

John.

 

I guess not, so how do they handle it regarding booking cabins? :confused:

Edited June 5, 2016 by paulista1950

[3rdGenCunarder]

:

 

I guess not, so how do they handle it regarding booking cabins? :confused:

 

My guess is that they will move some people to different cabins, maybe via upgrades. Plus, they can hold off assigning guarantee cabins until very late.

[BlueRiband]

More contractor images here.. These show the early stages of the Regatta bar and decking being taken apart. Another shows the former deck 2 photo gallery gutted out in preparation for the new single staterooms.

[Oahucruiser]

Really enjoying your photos, BlueRiband. Thank you!

[rrunner]

I believe the information Ray66 quoted here back in February is an earlier version of the information which is now found here.

 

When is the ship's next refurbishment?

 

Of particular note to your concern is that the wording on this page states the remaining staterooms not refurbished during dry dock (including sheltered balconies on deck 5) will be refurbished "before her 2017 World Voyage" rather than "over 2017" as previously stated. Therefore it is possible your sheltered balcony stateroom 5087 could be refurbished prior to the October 11, 2016 crossing.

 

Regards,

John.

 

Okay - thank you for the update.

[rgaudet]

Really enjoying your photos, BlueRiband. Thank you!

 

 

 

I second that! Thank you BR, I feel like I'm in the work site.

Rob

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BlueRiband]

Really enjoying your photos, BlueRiband. Thank you!

 

Thanks but I cannot take credit for them since they are not my work. The sites where I found them are a Facebook group "Blohm-Voss-Dock-Elbe-17". This is not an official media page of Blohm+Voss but is fan operated by local ship enthusiasts. The other site is "G32GBQM2" which is also fan operated. (GBQM was QM2's radio call sign when she was still registered in the UK. A pity that had to change - her radio sign indicated who she was and which flag she flew. ZCEF6 means nothing. :()

 

At the moment the Elbe 17 site seems to be more active as they are also local to the Hamburg area.

[paulista1950]

My guess is that they will move some people to different cabins, maybe via upgrades. Plus, they can hold off assigning guarantee cabins until very late.

 

They have some room for it

[babs135]

A lot of photos can be found on Facebook; either on Cunard's own site or one called Queen Mary 2, the last great ocean liner.

 

Looks like an awful lot of work to be finished on time!! Do they work through the night?

[joelamp]

Looks like an awful lot of work to be finished on time!! Do they work through the night?

 

Yes, Cunard have said the work is scheduled to be continued around the clock, 24/7. Mind you, around 2,500 workers are engaged in the project, so much can be accomplished in relatively short period of time.

Edited June 6, 2016 by joelamp

[BlueRiband]

Nighttime web cam images show lit entire ship flood lit dusk to dawn.

[eroller]

Latest pic posted to the official Cunard twitter site.

 

You can really see the housing for Deck 13 being added, but so far the hull has not been stripped of her paint and I see no funnel work yet for the scrubbers being installed.

 

[joelamp]

http://www.marinelink.com/news/extensive-queen-blohm410423.aspx

 

According to MarineLink, refit is scheduled to be complete and QM2 is planned to leave dry dock a week from Friday, on 17th June, to reposition to the cruise terminal and complete provisioning for embarking passengers on 21st.

[BlueRiband]

Cunard has posted some images of the Royal Court Theatre and some Grill staterooms at #qm2remastered.

 

And what looks like a serving area of the new Kings Count.

 

Alas, the contractor who earlier posted the deck 13 images has since taken them down. Not much new on the Elbe 17 site since the recent images are contractor selfies that don't show any work progression.

Edited June 7, 2016 by BlueRiband

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

Hopefully, the new staterooms on Deck 13 will not change the appearance of the ship too much. The addition of new balcony staterooms to the top of the forward superstructure reminds me of the additions to the QE2.

 

The interior photos of the work being done are very interesting. The workers seem to be accomplishing an amazing amount of work during a relatively short period of time.

 

Chuck

[pepperrn]

Found the attached on-line, two of a QG, and three of a Britannia cabin.

 

Will try to post links to larger versions shortly (will also try to credit the photographer (wish I'd taken them! ;) )).

Edited June 7, 2016 by pepperrn