QM2 2006 Transatlantic Brochure

[eroller]

I just received this brochure yesterday. Has anyone else seen it (North American version)? It has the usual Cunard babble but some new pictures. One picture that really struck me as odd is the main ship picture that takes up the entire inside front cover page. It's actually of QM2 in an unfinished state, most likely on sea trials. The forward black stripes are not yet painted (aft either), some balcony rails are missing, lifeboats missing, and the bridge window panes are painted white instead of black. It's interesting that Cunard would choose this picture of an unfinished ship when they must have thousands available in QM2's finished state. My guess is that no one even realized it. Nothing like having PR and marketing people that don't even know the ships they are promoting.

 

Ernie

[planetcadillac]

I just received this brochure yesterday. Has anyone else seen it (North American version)? It has the usual Cunard babble but some new pictures. One picture that really struck me as odd is the main ship picture that takes up the entire inside front cover page. It's actually of QM2 in an unfinished state, most likely on sea trials. The forward black stripes are not yet painted (aft either), some balcony rails are missing, lifeboats missing, and the bridge window panes are painted white instead of black. It's interesting that Cunard would choose this picture of an unfinished ship when they must have thousands available in QM2's finished state. My guess is that no one even realized it. Nothing like having PR and marketing people that don't even know the ships they are promoting.

 

Ernie

 

We got this brochure too - emphasizing 50% off balconies. Interesting that so many of the trips they advertised had all the inside cabins sold out. I wonder on the outbound trip on April 15th they will make a mention of the sinking of the Titanic as they pass by the area.

[travel-to-go]

I just received this brochure yesterday. Has anyone else seen it (North American version)?One picture that really struck me as odd is the main ship picture that takes up the entire inside front cover page. It's actually of QM2 in an unfinished state, most likely on sea trials. The forward black stripes are not yet painted (aft either), some balcony rails are missing, lifeboats missing, and the bridge window panes are painted white instead of black.

Ernie

 

Okay, Ernie- I hate to admit this,. but you have totally lost me. I am completely clueless (probably my inattention to detail, despite having been on the ship recently!) What forward black stripes? Where? I do see that the stripes around the funnel are not there. And why would they paint the window PANES in the bridge?

I have the 2006 Transatlantic, The Europe 2006, (both queens on the cover), the 2007 World Cruises with the exact same picture as the Europe 06, except the two queens are reversed!!! HMMM!!! Makes one wonder if this wasn't some digital tomfoolery! I could be wrong, be even though the two queens have switched places, the clouds appear to be in exactly the same spots! (Truthfully, the clouds look kinda fake anyway!) I think you may be onto something here, Ernie, but not what you think! You see, the TA book could not be the sea trials. The picture is of her sailing down the Hudson! (Unless you have a different version than I do- This one came in the mail- I can't remember exactly when, and has S0506TA12 in the bottom right corner of the address label space- It may have come while we were on the ship) I suspect the queens have been digitally inserted! (Sounds somehow vaguely freudian, and probably illegal in most countries!) I've also got the 2006 Timeless Voyages, the Maxtone Graham QM2 book, the 2007 double world cruise brochure, and a couple of small brochures.

 

(But I don't see any Black stripes on any of them on any forward parts of the ship) I'll pull some of the shots we took during the cruise also. But I'm stumped here. Give me more info on the anomalies you see (And what you are comparing it to) and what you think about the swapped maidens- and no, it isn't a reversed photo they are posed, one in front of the other in terms of the front, middle back of the picture, and a mountainous coast behind them. They're actually cruising nearly side-by-side. I can try to scan them if anyone needs to see them.

 

Karie,

Who admits she doesn't always notice glaringly obvious details that most see.

[guernseyguy]

Eagle eyed Ernie is quite correct - the brochure is downloadable from the Cunard web site, and the handsome, full page photo of the QM2 on page 2 is from a time when she still belonged to Chantiers D'Atlantique, and not Cunard! The deck plan still shows the glass floors in the Kings Court over the Atrium - I thought they had been removed in the refit? Other refit changes not included?

 

Peter

[travel-to-go]

Eagle eyed Ernie is quite correct - the brochure is downloadable from the Cunard web site, and the handsome, full page photo of the QM2 on page 2 is from a time when she still belonged to Chantiers D'Atlantique, and not Cunard! The deck plan still shows the glass floors in the Kings Court over the Atrium - I thought they had been removed in the refit? Other refit changes not included?

 

Peter

 

Gosh, Peter, Don't keep me in suspense! I really AM missing something, or I am looking at a different picture than y'all are!

 

Karie,

Feeling really DUMB right now!

 

P.S. What about my reversed queens gambit! (sounds like a chess play)

[eroller]

Okay, Ernie- I hate to admit this,. but you have totally lost me. I am completely clueless (probably my inattention to detail, despite having been on the ship recently!) What forward black stripes? Where? I do see that the stripes around the funnel are not there. And why would they paint the window PANES in the bridge?

 

 

Hi Karie,

My suggestion is to take a good look at that 2006 Transatlantic brochure. Study the picture inside the front cover, then compare it to the picture at the very pack of the brochure where the deck plans are. The picture in the back of the brochure is current, while the inside front cover picture is the QM2 still under construction. As Peter pointed out, the QM2 is still owned by the French shipyard when that picture was taken. Notice the French flag flying from the mast.

 

Here are some difference to look for on the inside front cover photo:

 

1. The Bridge. Notice the panes between the bridge windows are white, and you can see each square pane of glass. On the finished version the window panes are painted black to give the bridge windows a more streamlined look (similar to QE2).

 

2. Balcony Rails - notice that some balcony rails on the upper decks have not been installed yet.

 

3. Lighted QM2 sign missing which is located beneath the funnel.

 

4. No black stripes. Take a look at the windows below the bridge on the forward superstructure. The area around the windows is white. On the finished version, Cunard painted large black stripes around each set of windows to give the appearance of tiered "open decks" like the earlier Queens offered. In fact, the only real open deck that high up is just under the bridge. The stripes were also painted all the way aft, just past the very last balcony cabins where that giant white bulkhead stretches out from the balconies to the extreme side of the ship. The black stripes here were done completely for aesthetics.

 

5. Have a look at the lifeboats. Some have the protective covering removed and are bright orange on top, others are not. There are also a couple missing.

 

These are some of the clues that let me know QM2 is in an unfinished state when the picture was taken. It's really no big deal, but I am perplexed why Cunard would choose an unfinished picture when there are so many available in her finished state. I'm thinking it was plain ignorance and not something intentionally done. I was also perplexed when I saw CARONIA pictured on a recent issue of World Club news. Maybe no one informed Cunard that CARONIA was no longer a member of the fleet?

 

The good thing is the average person would never notice, and that is what Cunard is counting on.

 

Ernie

[eroller]

For those curious, this is the picture we are speaking of in the latest 2006 Cunard Transatlantic brochure.

 

Ernie

 

[travel-to-go]

For those curious, this is the picture we are speaking of in the latest 2006 Cunard Transatlantic brochure.

 

Ernie

 

 

Well, Ernie, this definitely explains a lot!

We are looking at two different brochures! The one I am looking at has all lifeboats properly stowed, the QM2 sign is there, You have better eyes than I do (and I used a magnifying glass while reading your previous post! <LOL>) and I don't see any missing balcony railings. And she is steaming down the Hudson past the New York Skyline in the brochure I am looking at! (and the inside back cover has a small pciture, and no deck plans!)

Whew! I thought I was really losing it for a while! (Well, this isn't proof that I'm NOT! <G>)

I'll have to download that one you're talking about, but I refuse to believe I have seen it! Everyone at work knows, I have been carrying every damn brochure around with me for at least 2 or 3 months- before my cruise, then the ones I picked up onboard, and all the ones in the mail waiting for me when I got home, then eveyrthing that's come in the mail since, plus a couple I've printed on line! Nah! I'm not hooked or anything! And I surely would have notice this shot. I remember seeing it- and, yes, i think it WAS from the sea trials- Someone posted the url for the pics from the shipyard. And I do remember noticing a lot of the things you point out.

 

Karie, who is glad she is not losing it... or maybe she is, just not over this!

[travel-to-go]

Hi Karie,

I am perplexed why Cunard would choose an unfinished picture when there are so many available in her finished state. I'm thinking it was plain ignorance and not something intentionally done. I was also perplexed when I saw CARONIA pictured on a recent issue of World Club news. Maybe no one informed Cunard that CARONIA was no longer a member of the fleet?

 

The good thing is the average person would never notice, and that is what Cunard is counting on.

 

Ernie

 

P.S. Agreed! Really dumb, putting that pic on a brochure.

But presumably that brchure went out to people who have previsously sailed! And might be inclined to do a TA!

 

And I beg to differ with you on something. You said, the average person wouldn't notice. Ahh! But that's where you're wrong! The AVERAGE person wouldn't sail Cunard! I think the person on a Cunard ship, by and large is much above average! And THEY would notice (that is, if they were looking at the same brochure <G> :o )

 

Karie, Who doesn't know how to show a blushing smilie, so I used the icon ones. Yes, my face is red!

[eroller]

Hi Karie,

You are right the average "Cunard" person is not very average! I agree 100%. Of course these days Cunard (QM2 especially) is attracting people that might normally cruise on HAL, Celebrity, or even Princess and Royal Caribbean. Cunard is offering so many "deals" and QM2 has so many short cruises (plenty of 7-day Caribbean later this year) that many people that might have sailed on say, CARIBBEAN PRINCESS, are now saying "why not try the QM2" for almost the same price.

 

It's these people that will probably not notice a pic of QM2 in her unfinished state.

 

I'm glad you're not crazy ;), and frankly I was thinking you must be looking at a different picture which is why I decided to post the one in question.

 

Ernie

[bobby1119]

Hi Karie,

You are right the average "Cunard" person is not very average! I agree 100%. Of course these days Cunard (QM2 especially) is attracting people that might normally cruise on HAL, Celebrity, or even Princess and Royal Caribbean. Cunard is offering so many "deals" and QM2 has so many short cruises (plenty of 7-day Caribbean later this year) that many people that might have sailed on say, CARIBBEAN PRINCESS, are now saying "why not try the QM2" for almost the same price.

 

It's these people that will probably not notice a pic of QM2 in her unfinished state.

 

I'm glad you're not crazy ;), and frankly I was thinking you must be looking at a different picture which is why I decided to post the one in question.

 

Ernie

 

I agree - Most new booking passengers do not know anything of the "true" golden age of transatlantic travel. Cunard today is a marketed theme park, arguably smug and transparent. Queen Mary 2 is the "big ride" in the park. After QE2 goes, who cares?

[travel-to-go]

Hi Karie,

You are right the average "Cunard" person is not very average! I agree 100%. Of course these days Cunard (QM2 especially) is attracting people that might normally cruise on HAL, Celebrity, or even Princess and Royal Caribbean. Cunard is offering so many "deals" and QM2 has so many short cruises (plenty of 7-day Caribbean later this year) that many people that might have sailed on say, CARIBBEAN PRINCESS, are now saying "why not try the QM2" for almost the same price.

 

It's these people that will probably not notice a pic of QM2 in her unfinished state.

 

I'm glad you're not crazy ;), and frankly I was thinking you must be looking at a different picture which is why I decided to post the one in question.

 

Ernie

 

 

Agreed, on all points. Not that I'm complaining about the prices- It does bring things into the realm of possibility of doing two, or even three cruises (or crossings) in one year- Which would have been unheard of ten years ago, when I would have easily had to pay 5 or 6 thousand for two of us on the same 7 day Eastern or Western Carib that everybody runs! OTOH, When you know about the world's best kept secret- And suddenly Hoi Polloi not only find out about it, but can afford it!.....Well, it does sort of degrade the passenger gene pool! <G> (Gee, I think that's how I got on my first Cunard trip- Which was $2600 for the two of us, air included, out of Ft Lauderdale on in inside guarantee! (If I remembr correctly) And was more thanten years ago!) BTW, We got upgraded to a 2 deck outside cabin, all the way forward (portholes and oddly shaped cabin due to the curvature of the bow) in the Crown Jewel. OTOH, we would pop right off the tender and down to our cabin- Didn't have to wait for the elevator or take the stairs. And at night we could sit up and watch the eerie green glow of the lights on the seafoam as we ripped through the Caribbean not too far below our windows! And never since dared chance an inside guaranty. Don't even want to settle for outside (no balcony) now!

 

Karie,

Who is dreaming of green seafoam and a gently rocking bed right now!

[dougnewmanatsea]

Just a note... The bits between the bridge windows that are painted white (rather than black) in the photo Ernie is referring to are mullions, not panes. The mullions fit between the panes.

 

If the panes were painted any color at all, one would not be able to see out from the bridge ;) !

[eroller]

Just a note... The bits between the bridge windows that are painted white (rather than black) in the photo Ernie is referring to are mullions, not panes. The mullions fit between the panes.

 

If the panes were painted any color at all, one would not be able to see out from the bridge ;) !

 

 

Doug,

What would I do (and the rest of the world) if you were not around to correct us? ;) Something tells me most people got the "meat" of what I was trying to get across. What I should have said was "frames" and not "panes". I certainly would not have said "mullions" or quite possibly NO ONE would have known what I was trying to say.

 

Ernie

[travel-to-go]

Doug,

What would I do (and the rest of the world) if you were not around to correct us? ;) Something tells me most people got the "meat" of what I was trying to get across. What I should have said was "frames" and not "panes". I certainly would not have said "mullions" or quite possibly NO ONE would have known what I was trying to say.

 

Ernie

 

Geez, I thought mullions were some religious guys- Or may some kind of lamb? Then, too, I think I will go mulllion that one over! <G>

 

Karie, who thinks this thread PANES her!<G>

[Bramcruiser]

Count me as one of the average but please don't make me feel like I shouldn't belong on Cunard. I don't think recognizing a picture of an unfinished ship has anything to do with class or the type of people who travel. Its simply a bad PR move on Cunard's part plain and simple. Whether someone paid enough attention to the picture has nothing to do with anything.

 

I haven't been a big cruiser in the past and yet I have always loved - at least the idea or image of - the classic glory days of the ocean liners. I realize that the Cunard of today is nothing like it but those days are quite frankly long gone. One can argue that the QM2 is indeed a theme park for the masses - lets face it, it is in a certain respect because it was built to be the biggest and exceed anything built up to that time. It was built with only the history of Cunard behind it and mega-Carnival Corp. paying for it.

 

Its obvious the QE2 will be history sooner or later and that the ambience from that ship will be gone for eternity. Victoria is a modern-day twist of what the masses tend to think of classy travel from a by gone era and its faux finishes are just that. Still it isn't Disney as some suggested.

 

I suppose its right to mourn the loss of the Cunard of days gone by but only a time machine will bring back the way it once was.

 

However, I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not by being one of those people who fall into that category of "prices dropped so low on some cruises that the average person who would not normally travel Cunard is doing so". While this may be true I rather enjoy the quiet subdued formal dress up affair of a classier cruise and hate to feel like I don't belong there. I have a fairly decent job, live in a big city, have my own condo, have several suits to my name, am in a relationship for the past 17 years and enjoy travelling.

 

I know the crowd here has been pretty nice for the most part so I assume no ill-intent was meant. The Cunard board has been two of the lines that I most frequent visit nowadays. However my experiment to try out Cunard this year by taking a 7-day Caribbean cruise on the QM2 has lost some of its lustre recently.

 

Now as for the Victoria. I guess only time will tell. For me I mentioned I already liked the look. However, lets wait to see what the ship actually looks like before the final verdict. We should all agree to meet back here in December 2007 and discuss the yeah and neah of the final product.

[eroller]

 

However, I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or not by being one of those people who fall into that category of "prices dropped so low on some cruises that the average person who would not normally travel Cunard is doing so".

 

 

The statement was not meant to be insulting. It is quite simply the truth and nothing more. Many who would have never considering Cunard in the past are doing so today for two basic reasons, price and the popularity of QM2. Now if you choose to take that as an insult, so be it.

 

People who have never sailed Cunard seem to think the ships are filled with snobs. It's just not true. If sailing with an eclectic, well traveled, educated, interesting, international, and diverse group of fellow travelers means you are a snob, then maybe it's true, but that is not my definition of a snob. I've actually encountered more so-called "snobs" on lines like Royal Caribbean and Holland America. People who really have no place pretending to be a snob! I admit Cunard does not usually attract the "bucket o' beer", party all night rowdy crowd, but then again neither do a lot of lines. It's one reason there are so many different lines to choose from. There is something for everyone and sometimes it takes sailing on more than one line to find your right niche.

 

Ernie - who enjoys cruising on anything from Silversea to Carnival, but definitely has favorites.

[Bramcruiser]

I never used the "s" word as I tend to hate it myself. So lets agree to move far away from that discussion Ernie.

 

Its true that there are a variety of lines out there but I chose Cunard because I simply loved HAL and felt Cunard was the next best up in terms of classy atmosphere. We are not big "people" persons and tend to stick by ourselves so we go for the ship and the amenities first and foremost and do not bother too much about being with the "in-crowd". However, interesting people at the dinner table is one thing I do like about the traditional style of dining on cruises. I like seeing people from different walks of life and from different places.

 

The fact that Cunard is British - to a certain extent - was one of the things that atracted me to her. There is still a bit of a monarchist left in this old Canadian.

 

Interesting people can range from trailer park types to the Oxford educated so that is a rather wide range of experiences and I think its important everyone in the world see the whole range of humanity over their lifetime.

 

Yeah true I chose the QM2 because of the right price at the right time but I am sure I would have eventually chosen the ship at some point. In fact I still see myself doing the QE2 and yeah, even the Victoria somewhere down the road. Then again maybe not if I find Cunard isn't to my liking. I agree with you in that you only find your niche by experiencing the wide sampling out there.

 

 

As for the original thread I'll have to look over the QM2 stuff I have and see if I noticed the unfinished ship.

 

Thanks Ernie for letting me vent my frustrations and for allowing it to remain civil. Isn't this what the Cunard group is all about?

[eroller]

 

As for the original thread I'll have to look over the QM2 stuff I have and see if I noticed the unfinished ship.

 

Thanks Ernie for letting me vent my frustrations and for allowing it to remain civil. Isn't this what the Cunard group is all about?

 

 

Attached is the pic again. I'm not sure why the original link is not working. It seems the pics show up for a day then the link goes bad. I'm not sure what is going on.

 

And yes, civility is definitely a trait of Cunard! ;)

 

Ernie

 

[LunchCompanion]

trailer park trash here

I think cunard will put me in the empty QM2 pod on my next QM2 cruise. They just send me post cards, no brochures, so I don't have the foggiest idea wat youse have been talkin about.

I did get a post card of the QM2 passing the statue of liberty and the QM2 is shown as way too close! I have passed the statue on the QM2 and other ships and the pix shows the QM2 about a fifth of a mile too close to the statue. Row boats could get that close but the water is too shallow there for a ship, thinks me.

But wat is a fifth of a mile outside the shipping lane among friends?

:D

[travel-to-go]

trailer park trash here

I think cunard will put me in the empty QM2 pod on my next QM2 cruise. They just send me post cards, no brochures, so I don't have the foggiest idea wat youse have been talkin about.

 

:D

Hey! TT! WE might be neighbors! I'm in the double-wide with the plastic flowers outside in the painted white burst truck tire flower bed!

 

(Just kidding- If you come from Tennessee, you understand. I could do some serious "why is a house trailer like your first wife" jokes.)

 

Actually, I picked up a couple of brochures on board, also asked them to send them online- As a plain old consumer. Took them forever. As an Agent I have ordered them so many times, but they get sent to my agency (which is an hour's drive away- I haven't even been to the new office since we moved a year ago!) Every time I ordered boxes of them, they'd all be gone by the time I got down to the office!(Some cruise lines will ship them to outside agents at home, Cunard insists on shipping them to the agency)

 

So go online, and order a brochure or two (The 2007 World Cruises, The 2006 cruises, last time I ordered there were only two choices, but they have come out with the 2007s since then)

 

Karie,

Who took the twelve day Panama because it was affordable and I didn't have to fly (extra cost) So count me as one of the unannointed! <G> -And yes, I take it all in good fun!

[LM1]

AVERAGE people sail on Cunard. AVERAGE people can afford those really expensive suites too.........but choose not to pay all that for 6 days, say for a transatlantic. Cunard is very classy, but take it easy. You have many people out here that do have a clue about cruising and have the money and the class that goes along with it (but we may be hidden in Brittania).

[dougnewmanatsea]

What I should have said was "frames" and not "panes".

"Frames" works, too. Technically I think there is a difference between a frame and mullion but even I don't really care ;) !

 

quite possibly NO ONE would have known what I was trying to say.

Let them use a dictionary!

 

What can I say, I have a Marie Antoinette complex when it comes to vocabulary ;) ...

 

have a clue about cruising and have the money and the class that goes along with it

Now then, what have money and class to do with each other?

 

That is, aside from yours truly having little of either ;) ...

[LunchCompanion]

just found a pix of the QM2 in the beginning of the QM2 review section of this website that shows the QM2 in the left side of the channel going upriver near the statue. The cap must've been reallyyyy drunkkk dat day!