Queen Anne

[JT1101]

5 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I was on the third voyage and each new plaque would be displayed at the purser's desk, which I thought was nice. Toward the end, I asked someone where they would hang the plaques and was told "they're going up today." sure enough, they're in a hallway near the buffet. I thought I'd taken a picture, but I can't find it. 

The plaques help a little but they specifically need callouts of the history of Cunard. It is the lack of these (and lack of ship paintings and models) that makes QA feel generic. They don't need to have her feel like a museum but they need more than they currently have. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

But QUEEN ANNE IS "generic".... she is decorated inside by the same team that did all of her sister ships of the Pinnacle class sailing for Holland America.  A few Stephen Card paintings and photos of Roger Moore at the piano of CARONIA isn't going to really alter that essential. And yes, Moore was a fashion model who posed for a series of publicity photos of the new CARONIA of 1949. He was, in the words of present Cunard nonsense, "channeling his inner James Bond" long before anyone else!

[Pushpit]

17 minutes ago, JT1101 said:

The plaques help a little but they specifically need callouts of the history of Cunard. It is the lack of these (and lack of ship paintings and models) that makes QA feel generic. They don't need to have her feel like a museum but they need more than they currently have. 

The reason I highlighted the plaques is that once they have compromised on displaying them somewhere then at least in theory they can nearby put a bit of Cunard memorabilia too. They clearly aren't going to turn QA into a QM2 treasure hunt of splendours, but it would be good to have something or other.  They could start with a photo or painting of the Liverpool naming event with which Carnival's management must be fairly chuffed.

 

This is one of the remarkable things hanging up in QM2 on Deck 3L near the Queens Room. It's an original print of QM News, used on the first Queen Mary, when she was used as a troop ship. Troops had their onboard newspaper just as passengers do today.  This issue is date 1 May 1941 as QM approached Port Suez. The newspaper was kept safe by a member of the Australian Infantry, Pvt John Donald, even while he was a POW of Germany, and then astonishingly a POW for Japan on the Death Railway (Burma Railway). Pvt Donald manage to get back to Melbourne a few months after VJ Day in 1945 with this newspaper. So when I go past this memorabilia, I'm in near physical contact with Cunard's history, and indeed the history of WW2.

 

 

 

 

 

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, JT1101 said:

The plaques help a little but they specifically need callouts of the history of Cunard. It is the lack of these (and lack of ship paintings and models) that makes QA feel generic. They don't need to have her feel like a museum but they need more than they currently have. 

You know the feel of Our Annie. Have you sailed with her?

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

The reason I highlighted the plaques is that once they have compromised on displaying them somewhere then at least in theory they can nearby put a bit of Cunard memorabilia too. They clearly aren't going to turn QA into a QM2 treasure hunt of splendours, but it would be good to have something or other.  They could start with a photo or painting of the Liverpool naming event with which Carnival's management must be fairly chuffed.

 

This is one of the remarkable things hanging up in QM2 on Deck 3L near the Queens Room. It's an original print of QM News, used on the first Queen Mary, when she was used as a troop ship. Troops had their onboard newspaper just as passengers do today.  This issue is date 1 May 1941 as QM approached Port Suez. The newspaper was kept safe by a member of the Australian Infantry, Pvt John Donald, even while he was a POW of Germany, and then astonishingly a POW for Japan on the Death Railway (Burma Railway). Pvt Donald manage to get back to Melbourne a few months after VJ Day in 1945 with this newspaper. So when I go past this memorabilia, I'm in near physical contact with Cunard's history, and indeed the history of WW2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I'd walked by all of the memorabilia on QM2, but I missed this one. Must remember to look for it next time. 

 

Thanks for posting it because it makes my point about being generic. On the other ships, something will catch my eye and I'll think, "ooh, look at that!" and stop to look and read the label. Nothing on QA made me stop and have one of those moments. 

 

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I thought I'd walked by all of the memorabilia on QM2, but I missed this one. Must remember to look for it next time. 

 

Thanks for posting it because it makes my point about being generic. On the other ships, something will catch my eye and I'll think, "ooh, look at that!" and stop to look and read the label. Nothing on QA made me stop and have one of those moments. 

 

I look at the paintings and the memorabilia on QV and nothing strikes a chord with me. Interesting from an objective view. That's all and  as a relative newbie I don't think I'm alone here.

However, at home I have quite a few of my parents' beautiful [and they are, beautiful] World Cruise mementos [personal Rosenthal plates/etched glass bowls/faux ivory scenes encapsulated in showcases] dating back to the 80's and for me, they are precious because of familial connections and not because they are necessarily, Cunard.

 

I look to the future now. The past is interesting but that's all.

[D&N]

I studied deck plans carefully before we sailed on QM2 and watched many videos, concentrating on those made after the 2016 remastering, and worked out what venues we thought would interest us. By the time we boarded and unpacked our carry-ons, it was a case of quickly dashing round the parts of the ship we didn't plan to use to add a real aspect to what I'd already seen.

I attach much more importance to the layout and architecture of venues than decoration. Ship photos are nice but I'm just not interested in studying everything that is on the walls. Whether it makes a good portrait backdrop is of interest, and whether we can dance somewhere or have a drink in welcoming surroundings as well. If she comes out from her 2026 refit with all the Art Deco stuff replaced (she won't) with QA type decoration, it wouldn't bother us in the least as long as they used pleasant colours.

I read lots of criticism of Queens Room on QA. I've recently watched several videos by tonymariadance on YT. It's all dancing. They've danced on all four Queens now and commented in what they released today, that they think the acoustics in QA's QR are better than all the others. Their comment; "Such exciting dance floor stands alone in the cruise industry." suggests they quite like it.

As a side note, their dance style is not as smooth as British trained dancers may be used to, but you have to remember that styles vary between countries and even different teachers. But there are usually a range of different dancers on the floor in their videos.

[Planning to cruise]

When we first went on QM2 in 2007 you could have an audio guide to the memorabilia and art.  I enjoyed it.

 

Referring to an earlier post, my uncle was always proud that he had sailed on Queen Mary even if it was as a wartime army private. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Planning to cruise said:

When we first went on QM2 in 2007 you could have an audio guide to the memorabilia and art.  I enjoyed it.

 

Referring to an earlier post, my uncle was always proud that he had sailed on Queen Mary even if it was as a wartime army private. 

 

My father sailed home on Mauretania at the end of WWII. Here she is, courtesy of Stephen Card.

 

 

[WantedOnVoyage]

We always know were are "almost home" when we we pass this painting on QV between 5-4 Deck!

 

My favourite Card painting is a rare vertical format one of R.M.S. CARINTHIA sailing from a wintry New York that is off the Chart Room.  Just beautiful.  

 

Without its history, to me Cunard is just another generic cruise line. And we have plenty of those as it is.  And yes, I think the majority of "cruisers" are fine with that, too.  As Ethel Mertz said about Europe... "it's so old...."

[BA001]

Afternoon everyone, I’ve resisted commenting on QA so far as I’m aware she will divide loyal WCC members but may appeal to a younger generation. 
(For context I’m 47 and my partner 48, both Diamond level and love Cunard ships for many reasons- so we are below the average age on some voyages)

Having tried QA  I could comment stateroom furnishings and Queens Room size, or the layout … none of which are going to change in the immediate future. 
However one thought has struck me onboard and that was the somewhat bizarre artwork without explanation..

Two examples are posted below, and of course raises the question;

“But is it Art??”

a hot pink frame with bubble wrap bubble wrap inside and of course the mirrored outline of a man outside of the cigar lounge … apparently it’s not meant to be Rolf Harris … -although that’s now the nickname for said mirrored installation! 
Bring back QM2 bowl of fruit or the scratched images of QE2 on QV .. all is forgiven!! 

[3rdGenCunarder]

I chatted with a crew member who was surprised when I said QA didn't feel like a Cunard ship. He said that the Queens Room was a nod to QE2's Queens Room. Sorry, but I sure don't see that! The furniture there is nothing like what I sat on many a time, both the old leather monsters you couldn't get out of AND the new furniture after a major refit. 

 

I mentioned the lack of ship paintings, which I'm used to seeing in the stairwells and around the ship. And why are there no little plaques to say who the artists are for the stairwell "artwork?"

 

He said that the stairwell art "came from an art school," but didn't say any more. He sounded almost embarrassed, so I didn't ask anything more about it. 

[exlondoner]

14 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I chatted with a crew member who was surprised when I said QA didn't feel like a Cunard ship. He said that the Queens Room was a nod to QE2's Queens Room. Sorry, but I sure don't see that! The furniture there is nothing like what I sat on many a time, both the old leather monsters you couldn't get out of AND the new furniture after a major refit. 

 

I mentioned the lack of ship paintings, which I'm used to seeing in the stairwells and around the ship. And why are there no little plaques to say who the artists are for the stairwell "artwork?"

 

He said that the stairwell art "came from an art school," but didn't say any more. He sounded almost embarrassed, so I didn't ask anything more about it. 

The QE2 QR was completely different. It was one story with no balcony, and a very weird ceiling. Did they mean the Double Up Lounge?

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

The QE2 QR was completely different. It was one story with no balcony, and a very weird ceiling. Did they mean the Double Up Lounge?

 

Perhaps. The only relationship I can see there is two levels and the circular staircase (which came and went in the iterations of what became the Grand Lounge). Certainly not the furniture. And that lounge didn't have a stage until fairly late in its life.

[Victoria2]

30 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I chatted with a crew member who was surprised when I said QA didn't feel like a Cunard ship. He said that the Queens Room was a nod to QE2's Queens Room. Sorry, but I sure don't see that! The furniture there is nothing like what I sat on many a time, both the old leather monsters you couldn't get out of AND the new furniture after a major refit. 

 

I mentioned the lack of ship paintings, which I'm used to seeing in the stairwells and around the ship. And why are there no little plaques to say who the artists are for the stairwell "artwork?"

 

He said that the stairwell art "came from an art school," but didn't say any more. He sounded almost embarrassed, so I didn't ask anything more about it. 

I wish I'd taken a photo of the relief white 'art work' on the wall of the entrance to our cabin.

 

We called it 'the torso'!

[MylesS]

I will say I think my favourite piece of art work onboard Queen Anne is (I believe) between Deck 1 & 2 Stairway A, which has Queen Mary 2 filled with animals, reminding me of Noah's Ark.

[JT1101]

Let's be honest here - while I do feel the ship needs some more explicit callbacks to Cunard history and tradition she is without a doubt beautiful. For example the artwork in the main lobby where the image changes depending on where you look from is an outstanding piece of art. 

Just give us a ship model or two with some informative plaques and such talking about Cunard and Bob's Your Uncle. 

[Pear Carr]

2 hours ago, BA001 said:

Afternoon everyone, I’ve resisted commenting on QA so far as I’m aware she will divide loyal WCC members but may appeal to a younger generation. 
(For context I’m 47 and my partner 48, both Diamond level and love Cunard ships for many reasons- so we are below the average age on some voyages)

Having tried QA  I could comment stateroom furnishings and Queens Room size, or the layout … none of which are going to change in the immediate future. 
However one thought has struck me onboard and that was the somewhat bizarre artwork without explanation..

Two examples are posted below, and of course raises the question;

“But is it Art??”

a hot pink frame with bubble wrap bubble wrap inside and of course the mirrored outline of a man outside of the cigar lounge … apparently it’s not meant to be Rolf Harris … -although that’s now the nickname for said mirrored installation! 
Bring back QM2 bowl of fruit or the scratched images of QE2 on QV .. all is forgiven!! 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

6 minutes ago, MylesS said:

I will say I think my favourite piece of art work onboard Queen Anne is (I believe) between Deck 1 & 2 Stairway A, which has Queen Mary 2 filled with animals, reminding me of Noah's Ark.

 

I thought I had walked all the stairways to see the art, but I missed this. It sounds fun. Possibly, by the time I was getting that far down I was losing the will to live...

[Pear Carr]

This for us was totally bizarre. A scrap piece of sequin fabric bunched in a frame! Why! On a main staircase! There were a few things we liked on QA but the negatives outweighed the positives and unless we get a great deal on a not to be missed itinerary she is not for us at the moment!

[WantedOnVoyage]

Yikes.  It almost makes one pine for Mrs. Olsen's "art collection" we all had to contemplate on BLACK PRINCE for all those years....  It was apparenty worth a fortune which made it even worse....

 

Artwork has always been controversial on Cunarders... there was a huge hue and cry when the Bates Bros. took one look at the "progressive" artwork offered for QUEEN MARY and refused to accept any of it, saying it should be donated to a school for the blind!  

 

Hence, the appeal of a nice tranquil portrait of R.M.S. PANNONIA anchored off Fiume, c. 1911. 

Edited August 11 by WantedOnVoyage

[D&N]

We named this "Heinz 57".

It's on a half landing on QM2 staircase B, at 57 steps down from deck 12.

We think it might depict a tin of Heinz Beans in tomato sauce.

 

 

As I've said before, I'm not really into art. Pictures of cats are good. I'd settle for some ships, on a ship. And there are a few of them.

[Pear Carr]

Unlike the useless/pointless scrap of material, I can actually see a theatre full of people on this Heinz 57 painting!🤪

[D&N]

18 minutes ago, Pear Carr said:

Unlike the useless/pointless scrap of material, I can actually see a theatre full of people on this Heinz 57 painting!🤪

Perhaps covered in Heinz Beans. 😀

[WantedOnVoyage]

Either way, it presents an appalling prospect....