OMG, we really ARE in steerage!

[hvsteve1]

If they hand you an oar as you board, THEN you're in trouble.

[travel-to-go]

If they hand you an oar as you board, THEN you're in trouble.

 

I belonged to a skydiving club for many years. Some of our jumpers went to world competitions. Obviously, you gaurd your rig as if your life depended on it (it does) and you don't put it in cargo. So they often wore them onboard commercial flights like a backpack. As one of our jumpers with a wicked sense of humor got on and was walking through first class to get to his seat in ..umm. the other part of the plane on their way to Italy, a blue haired "young" lady asked him, "Young man, is that a parchuite your'e wearing?"

Michael, not missing a beat replied, "Yeah, Didn't they issue you yours?"

 

Karie,

who has actually jumped and lived to tell about it!

[guernseyguy]

the whole grueling trip

 

Karie,

 

While the trip for all passengers in the age of sail was gruelling - by the time the large steamers were making the crossing from the turn of the century conditions for 'steerage' passengers were often a lot better than they had been used to at home - heating, hot & cold running water and three square meals a day - a significant upgrade for almost all!

 

Interestingly, in the days of the QUEEN MARY & QUEEN ELIZABETH the difference in fares between the (real) classes was a lot less than between today's (perceived) "classes": From the newly published; 'Cruise, Identity, Design & Culture, by Peter Quartermaine & Bruce Peter (excellent book with great illustrations and well informed text - just out) fares advertised for the crossing on the Queens were: FIRST class from £99-10/-, CABIN class from £74-10/- and TOURIST class from £61-10/- - i.e First ~60% higher than Tourist - compare that with today's Queen's Grill £5629, Princess Grill £4179, Britannia £1599 - a 250% premium from Britannia to Queen's Grill.....ah, the benefits of the 'classless' society!

 

Peter

[patwell]

Hi Karie....you're so right..how would we ever choose our most valuable possessions if we only had one suitcase!! Now it's ballgowns, tuxes, assorted daywear,multiple pairs of shoes....ooops, and don't forget the laptop and the blender and the steamer.....and duct tape....I'm told one should never take a cruise without it but i don't know why!!! I look at the size of the ship that brought my Mom and so many Norwegian immigrants over and think it must have been a really rough trip in the North Atlantic!

 

For us one of the more poignant moments will likely be boarding when we will remember DH's immigrant grandfather who was a lowly Cunard employee in NY all his life and here we will be, sailing with a balcony on Deck 11. Yes, we are proud of our roots. My Swedish grandfather worked in the logging woods in MOntana for 10 years just to be able to go back and bring the family for a better life....in Brooklyn. Hmmmmm, all this Brooklyn talk...it was a good start for us. So I do feel that I had it very easy but only because they followed a dream for a better life and then worked hard to make it happen. Unfortunately I lost my sister in the '70's, but she was as proud as I. Cheers, Penny

[stowaway2k]

I look at the size of the ship that brought my Mom and so many Norwegian immigrants over and think it must have been a really rough trip in the North Atlantic!

 

Hi Penny

What ship was it?

[patwell]

Hi Kyle....My Mother came on Norwegian Amerika Line's Bergensfjord 1....10,600 gross tons and a little over 500 ft long! Many years later we would sail on her replacement, the lovely Bergensfjord, back to Norway. But the loce of my life will always be the SS Stavangerfjord which I sailed several times, My Dad came on the Scandinavian American Line's Frederik VIII. Cheers, Penny

[guernseyguy]

Many years later we would sail on her replacement, the lovely Bergensfjord, back to Norway. But the loce of my life will always be the SS Stavangerfjord which I sailed several times

 

Penny,

 

If you are interested in ship books, the newly published 'The Saga Sisters' by Clive Harvey & Roger Cartwright about the (now) Saga Rose and Saga Ruby has two chapters on the early days of the NAL including a whole chapter on the Oslofjord and Bergenfjord with photographs, illustrations and deck plans. It even has a pic of the Caronia leaving Funchal with me onboard (but fortunately you can only see Caronia, not me!)

 

Peter

[patwell]

Hi Peter....thank you for that information about the Saga Sisters book. I'll have to see if it's available in the US. I had the good fortune to be introduced to the Sagafjord/ Saga Rose when she was just in the drawing stages on paper. We were on the Bergensfjord at the time with representatives of the design team also on board I was told and I got a sneak peek courtesy of one of the ship's officers. At the time I wondered how they could ever improve on beautiful Bergensfjord, but of course they did as Saga Rose is still graceful and lovely. I actually found a couple of old books just about NAL, history and ships all the way back to the beginning...one in Norwegian...on ebay. Obviously I have had a lifelong love affair with these ships!! This kind of helpfulness is what makes these forums so terrific. Thanks so much, Penny

[travel-to-go]

What a marvelous turn this thread has taken. Warms the cockle of me heart, it does! <G>

 

Penny, you said your DH's father worked for Cunard. What did he do with them? How long ago was this? You must be so delighted (and your hubby) but in a sort of strange way, to make that connection. It does feel odd sometimes to think of our ancestors (including near ones) laboring to afford us the opporunities we have now- Like someone who never finished high school working extra hours or two jobs to enable their child to go to college. It is what you want, what they want, but it seems a little wrong that their hard work has enabled you to surpass them. Still, it is what everyone wishes for their children.

 

You must be so excited about this cruise. How will you ever make it to December? I'm getting anxious for September and our Labor Day cruise!

 

Thanks for giving me all these smiles.

This thread has been propitious indeed!

 

Karie,

Who has reason to smile on a beautiful Friday!

[stowaway2k]

Wow!

I'/d like to see them tender out with all of that luggage in rough weather! quote]

 

Hi Karie

 

These were not tenders as we now know them.

 

These were very large purpose-built vessels with a capacity of hundreds of passengers and their luggage.

 

For an interesting article on the White Star Line tender NOMADIC,

click here

the article include good photos so that you can see the type of vessel these tenders were.

 

BTW, the Nomadic, what's left of her, has been purchased for restoration and exhibit in Belfast, Ireland.

[patwell]

Hi Karie...It was my DH's immigrant Norwegian Grandfather who worked for Cunard and he remembers him being there as far back as his early childhood. He thinks he worked in the office but doesn't remember at what but he remembers he retired from Cunard in the 60's so it must have been a good long time he was there. And somehow I'll bet he'd be proud to see what his Grandson has made of himself and I'd hope he'd be proud to see us celebrating DH's big birthday on the QM2. I've often wondered, since we booked this trip, what he'd have thought of the QM2 having been so familiar with the original Queen Mary. I guess this has gotten a bit OT but you're right...a little nostalgia does "warm the cockles of me heart" and I'm gald I gave you reason to smile.

 

Truthfully I have no idea how I'll make it to Dec. We booked last Nov!! I have been in cruise overload ever since!! I've probably planned and re-planned my wardrobe a dozen times...and then I just go out and buy something else that will be "perfect for the cruise". I'm lucky that we have a very active and fun Roll Call going for the past several months over on the Roll Call forum....stop by sometime and say hi to my fellow pax. We are keeping each other sane and very enthusiastic!!! So I'll just live vicariously as all of you cruise before me and wait to hear your ecperiences. Would love to join you for Labor Day...now THAT'S my idea of labor!!!

Cheers, Penny ( who also has reason to smile on this beautiful Friday...sorry Karie...appropriated your tag line again!)

[patwell]

Hi Peter...just thought I'd let you know I have found the Saga Sisters book both on Amazon and Books A Million web sites. So thanks again for telling me about it. Can't wait to order one! Cheers, Penny

[travel-to-go]

Thanks,

Kyle,

It looks like a really interesting article. You always post such cool references and pictures.

 

Thanks too, to Guernsey Guy. Yours are always interesting also. I shall have to look up a couple of those books, though I am not finished with the ones I bought on board yet. (Just don't have the time- Tried to take the last three days off, and still ended up working from home! And I lost about 2 weeks of vaca from last year. I just couldn't take it. Every time I tried I would get thwarted by "the needs of the business!"

Of course it's all worth it due to the many, many hearty thanks I get (HA!)

Oh, and did I mention they keep trying to get rid of me? Don't work hard enough, I guess! <LOL>

 

Karie,

Who still has to like the person looking back from the mirror each morning, no matter HOW ugly she is after just rolling out of bed!<G> (fortunately, my eyes aren't too wide open then, so I can fool myself easily!)

[guernseyguy]

Hi Peter...just thought I'd let you know I have found the Saga Sisters book both on Amazon and Books A Million web sites. So thanks again for telling me about it. Can't wait to order one! Cheers, Penny

 

Hi Penny,

 

Its a handsome book, well presented. If you enjoy ship books, one I would highly recommend is William Mayes 'Cruise Ships: Guide to the World's Passenger Fleet' - it covers ALL cruise ships in operation today, along with histories of the different lines. I couldn't see it on Amazon.com, but it is on the Amazon.co.uk site, or on Mainmastbooks.co.uk....the trouble with the latter is I can never just buy ONE book.......;)

 

Peter

[patwell]

Ahhhh Peter...you may have created a monster! What a fantastic site that Mainmastbooks is!! I have been on it since I read your post. I see your problem...shall it be one book or two or three...as long I'm paying shipping from the UK I might as well go for it, right? Shall it be Stephen Card's 2 books...or maybe that wonderful one the Postcard History of Passenger Liners...for sure it will be Passenger Liners Scandinavian Style!! What a wish list!!What an intriguing selection, none of which is on either of my US sites unfortunately. Perhaps ebay....I actually found old postcards of the ships my parents came on on ebay, thanks to a postcard dealer in Switzerland. And my home office is decorated around a wonderful 1920's era travel poster of SS Stavangerfjord, also found on ebay and I bid it til it was mine!!! I guess the other bidder had no idea what a NAL fanatic I am and what I'd pay for that poster! So I go into my little refuge and am surrounded by memorabilia of that age of ships...these books will have a comfortable home. Then again, I'd better save my pennies for that wonderful bookstore I'm told is on QM2...decisions, decisions...cheers and thanks again, Penny

[guernseyguy]

Then again, I'd better save my pennies for that wonderful bookstore I'm told is on QM2...

 

Ahhh....thats another killer - if I hadn't been flying back from the US I'd have probably emptied the place......are you sailing eastbound or westbound;)?

 

Peter

[patwell]

Ahhh....thats another killer - if I hadn't been flying back from the US I'd have probably emptied the place......are you sailing eastbound or westbound;)?

 

Ahhh, I wish....only a Caribbean cruise. But one of these days I'd love to do a TA again. This is our first on the QM2 and I couldn't be more excited. And since we'll be driving from the pier in Lauderdale I have no weight limitations, so bookstore, here I come!! Thank goodness my DH understands about me and bookstores! Cheers, Penny

[travel-to-go]

Ahhh....thats another killer - if I hadn't been flying back from the US I'd have probably emptied the place......are you sailing eastbound or westbound;)?

 

Ahhh, I wish....only a Caribbean cruise. But one of these days I'd love to do a TA again. This is our first on the QM2 and I couldn't be more excited. And since we'll be driving from the pier in Lauderdale I have no weight limitations, so bookstore, here I come!! Thank goodness my DH understands about me and bookstores! Cheers, Penny

 

Marc can't say much about me and book stores. He's just as bad! Our house is crazy with bookshelves, and still we have stacks!

 

Karie,

Who used to read under the covers with a flashlight after lights-out as a child

[patwell]

"Karie,

Who used to read under the covers with a flashlight after lights-out as a child"

 

You did that too??? My Mother could never understand why my flashlight batteries were always wearing out before all the others did. And I still read till my eyes swell and get blurry!!! Hmmm, now where to go first on the QM2...the spa for bookings or the bookstore for a fix????? Cheers, Penny

[mariaemp675@hotmail.com]

Penny,

 

Make your appointment at the spa, then walk the short distance from the Salon area to the library. While in the library, see if they still have "With a Pinch of Salt a collection of Nautical Expressions and other stories" as interpreted by Captain Nick Bates. I bought it and really enjoyed it and still am enjoying it. It is a fun read and also educational. Some of it might even be in a Put Trivia Quiz!;)

 

Happy Sailing

Maria

[patwell]

Thanks for the recommendation Maria. It's always nice to get a recommendation on something worth reading and I'll add this title to my growing list. Now if Dec would only get here!!! Cheers, Penny