Anyone here sail on the original QM?

[imacruizer]

I forgot to mention the QM in Long Beach.  I, too, passed up several opportunities to tour the ship thinking that it might be sad.  However, I finally decided to do it and I am so glad that I did.  It has probably been five years since I was there so I don't know what the current condition of the ship is like.  Even though the upkeep of the ship was not perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the ship.  It brought back a lot of good memories.

[Liberal_Baggie]

After a crossing to NY on QM2 2104 had a round trip ..hire car to Chicago train over the rockies to San Francisco. Car Hire down pacific highway to Queen Mary. She was magnificent in my view only stared One night but had the tour and enjoyed a great evening in the cocktail bar. QM2 is more modern and comfortable but you can see the lines in the design and the magnificent proportions of the public rooms. Truly wonderful and if you were One who sailed on her that must be magical to return and soak it all in again. I can’t wait to visit Dubai at some point and visit QE2. I have only been fortunate enough to travel withCunard since 2013 so missed QE2 was she as Grand as The Queen  Mary? Finished that trip by train Flagstaff to Detroit via Chicago then No gun Taxi under the river and train to Toronto flew back to Uk from Canada quite a trip with lots of things done along the way! Great trip!

[Bloodaxe]

I have been reading these posts with great interest, I have many books about the liners of the past and to read these first hand accounts is fascinating.

I have never cruised with Cunard but have been seriously considering booking a round trip transatlantic in the future.

In the 1950s my family quite often took our holidays at Southsea near Portsmouth on the Solent.

I well remember watching all the great Iiners of the day sailing in and out of Southampton, I was particularly impressed with the 2 Queens and the United States.

We visited Southampton and took a tour boat around the docks, the boat went under the bow of the Queen Mary and the guide told us about a US Navy ship that was chopped in half accidental during the war.

Much later in 2006 my Wife and I were staying the night in San Pedro Los Angeles before boarding a Celebrity cruise up the coast to Alaska.

We had time to take a taxi to Long Beach and spend a very enjoyable morning on the Queen Mary, has others have said she was looking in need of some loving care but well with the visit.

 

 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

1 hour ago, Bloodaxe said:

I have been reading these posts with great interest, I have many books about the liners of the past and to read these first hand accounts is fascinating.

I have never cruised with Cunard but have been seriously considering booking a round trip transatlantic in the future.

In the 1950s my family quite often took our holidays at Southsea near Portsmouth on the Solent.

I well remember watching all the great Iiners of the day sailing in and out of Southampton, I was particularly impressed with the 2 Queens and the United States.

We visited Southampton and took a tour boat around the docks, the boat went under the bow of the Queen Mary and the guide told us about a US Navy ship that was chopped in half accidental during the war.

Much later in 2006 my Wife and I were staying the night in San Pedro Los Angeles before boarding a Celebrity cruise up the coast to Alaska.

We had time to take a taxi to Long Beach and spend a very enjoyable morning on the Queen Mary, has others have said she was looking in need of some loving care but well with the visit.

 

 

I know what you are saying about watching the ships sailing the Solent and threading the Brambles.  They were a magnificent sight.  I well remember, during my 1965 crossing on the Queen Elizabeth, seeing the Queen Mary crossing in the other direction. What an unforgettable sight...seeing the Queen Mary in mid ocean sailing at full speed through the Atlantic.  

[Lowiepete]

7 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

What an unforgettable sight...seeing the Queen Mary in mid ocean sailing at full speed through the Atlantic.  

 

The thing that you haven't mentioned is just how fleeting this crossover is. While you're on board the QE, seemingly stood still, the QM is passing you at a full 70 miles per hour! It isn't long from her being a speck on the forward horizon until she's a speck on the aft one.

 

Being chased down in the same direction by one of the Cunard Queens was another experience altogether. It was only in rough seas that you could see how these leviathans just ploughed their way through the waves, regardless. Majestic only tickles the imagination. You could see that it was one of man's biggest movable objects of that time!

 

I remember being on the Pretoria Castle and we were abreast with the Empress of England in the Bay of Biscay at a time when it was beating itself into a complete frenzy of whitecaps. Looking across, the feeling was that you wouldn't want to be aboard the other ship in "this weather", when in all probability, those across the way were saying the exact same thing about your own ocean steed.

 

However, you can say what you like about the Bay of Biscay, it's the Northern Atlantic Ocean where the greatest respect for the sea must be paid. When the waves are higher than the aft of the ship and seemingly travelling faster, and therefore appearing to bear down upon you, it can be a time to start praying. When the tossing about has continued for hours on end, the novelty will have worn off, long-since! 

 

Regards,

Steve

[CGTNORMANDIE]

So true Steve.  The combined speed was near 70 mph.  So the view you got of QM was fleeting within 20 seconds.  Just the same...it was impressive.  The Mary threw up a white wave at the bow as she cut through the sea and she left a crashing wake.  Of course the people onboard QM could see us do the same thing on the QE.  The first impression you got upon seeing QM in mid sea was a sense of power and majesty.  

[Elephant1151]

In 1990 we sailed on Vistafjord and received this as a gift. As I stated earlier we loved that ship and sailed on her from 1982 to 2003.