Queen Mary 2 showing on NBC

[Liv4cruzin]

It was reported today on Seatrade Insider that a program entitled "Queen Mary 2 - A Transatlantic Adventure" will be broadcast on NBC owned & operated stations in 10 major US cities. The first airings will be in the New York area at 7 pm this Sat. evening & throughout the rest of Oct. Looks like those of us outside of this coverage area may be out of luck. :mad:

[BettyBoop3850]

For those in the New York area the special will be on Sat at 7pm on WNBC 4 the show is Jane's New york Or Sunday at 12:30pm

 

Michelle

[lauderdalebob]

Thanks for posting about this. I just checked and it's being shown here the same two times this weekend in the South Florida area so will definitely watch since we are on the 3/26/07 sailing from Southampton to Ft. Lauderdale.

[Liv4cruzin]

It's times like this I wish I had a satellite dish & maybe I could pull in one of those affiliates. LauderdaleBob would you adopt me for the weekend? ;)

[cruiserking]

Here are the various air times for the NBC QM2 program taken from the Cunard site.

 

New York

Sat 10/7 7-7:30 pm

 

Los Angeles

Sat 10/21 3:30-4 pm

 

Chicago

Sat 10/21 6-6:30 pm

 

Philadelphia

Sat 10/21 2-2:30 pm

 

San Francisco

Sat 10/21 7:30-8 pm

 

Dallas

Sat 10/21 1-1:30 pm

 

Washington DC

Sat 10/21 2-2:30 pm

 

Miami

Sat 10/21 7-7:30 pm

 

San Diego

Sun 10/22 5-5:30 pm

 

Hartford

Sat 10/21 7-7:30 pm

 

Cruiserking

[Richard Stein]

Doesn't show in Cleveland, but I am on the QM2 10/12-22 so I will see it for myself.

[dougnewmanatsea]

This is billed by Cunard as an "NBC special" but actually it is part of the regular local series "Jane's New York" on our local NBC station, WNBC. At least initially, it is being broadcast on NBC's 10 owned-and-operated stations (WNBC is one). I don't know whether these stations usually carry "Jane's New York" (up until now, I assumed that was only on WNBC - it is definitely WNBC local programming, not part of the NBC network lineup) or if the nine other stations are only airing this particular segment because it is of general interest even to people outside New York.

[bobby1119]

Cruiserking,

 

I see from your signature that you sailed in the Leonardo da Vinci. Gorgeous ship, inside and out! While I never sailed in her, I was aboard many times as a guest of the Captain (Claudio Cosulich) and his wife who were friends. I crossed twice on Raffaello and cruised on one of Michelangelo's last voyages. Very wonderful ships.

[cruiserking]

Bobby1119,

 

I was only about 7 when I sailed on the Leonardo da Vinci, so my memories of her are not that vivid. But, I do have a picture that was taken in the main dining, funny to see a line of portholes all the way across. Also the aboard ship picture cost only a paltry $3 compared to practically $30 on the QM2.

 

Jonathan

[Finch]

Thank you, Cruiserking, for the TV information!

[tandemtourer]

Not that I'm suggesting anything - but, wouldn't it be nice if the program in question ended up on something like, oh, I don't know, maybe - YouTube? :rolleyes:

[dougnewmanatsea]

I would copy this onto another tape for you but I only have one VCR.

 

It was actually a pretty good program - much better than most "shippy" things one sees on TV.

 

Unmentioned in the press release was that it was filmed on the Commodore's Farwell Crossing. I will have to re-watch it to see if I can find any familiar passengers in the background, as I knew many on that crossing.

[Vic The Parrot]

Watched it yesterday. I loved it!

 

Too bad the length was so short. For a ship like that, an hour would suffice.

Well, maybe 2 hours .... ;)

 

 

But all in all, NBC did a great job. And once I get on board that beauty, I'll personally thank Mr Lyons for his input on everything.

[tandemtourer]

Originally posted by Host Doug:

I would copy this onto another tape for you but I only have one VCR.

Doug, that was very generous of you to think of that. With a little research and a quick call to our satellite program provider (with credit card in hand), we were able to watch it on WNBC ourselves last night.

 

Vic, we agree with you that it was a very good program and did seem too short. I especially enjoyed the views of the ship coursing through the Atlantic. While watching we couldn't help thinking that Cunard could even use it as their promotional video for QM2.

 

Only one small nit - with a little coaching, an edit, or a re-take, I would have thought that she could have pronounced Commodore Warwick's name correctly or at least the same way he does.

[tandemtourer]

Hello All,

 

We're offering to lend our VHS tape of the Jane's program to those who won't be able to view it. Just e-mail me at tandemtourer@yahoo.com and indicate the address to which you would like it sent. If more than one person is interested I will e-mail you with the address of the next person who would like to borrow it and request that you send it along to them. I would hope that at some point it gets returned but meanwhile, we'd like to share.

 

The Tandems

[Post Captain]

While watching we couldn't help thinking that Cunard could even use it as their promotional video for QM2.

Actually, it did strike me that the program was produced by/for Cunard for promotional purposes--that is, that it might later be sold onboard as a video/DVD. Nothing wrong with that, of course; it just seemed that Jane Hanson was slotted in at various points to introduce the program to television viewers but that she actually had no input in producing or "reporting."

 

You've no doubt seen the video that was done about the QE2 several years ago. (I have a vague sense that it was produced by/for National Geographic, but I might be wrong.) That program is close to an hour long, but follows much the same format as the new QM2 program--it gives a picture of the workings of the ship (both in front of & behind the scenes), using a transatlantic voyage as the framework.

Only one small nit - with a little coaching, an edit, or a re-take, I would have thought that she could have pronounced Commodore Warwick's name correctly or at least the same way he does.

At that point I muttered at the TV (in my best Lionel Hardcastle manner), "It's Warrick, you silly so & so!"

 

Still, the program & Jane Hanson's presenting were models of sophistication in comparison to a "feature" I watched (dare I even admit this?) on one of the early morning shows a while back in which Diane Sawyer "reported" from aboard one of the NCL behemoths. Now that was downright embarrassing.

[mariaemp675@hotmail.com]

For me, this program was a let down.

 

It was advertised all week as a QM2 Transatlantic Adventure.

 

Having been on the ship twice, and loving every bit of it, this program had the same information as my cruise DVD.

 

I liked the part with the Commodore. He is really a special man.

 

But where were the passenger activities, like bingo and Pub Trivia? Where was the adventure?

 

I also taped it and watched it again. As someone else said, it should have been longer.

 

Maria

[dougnewmanatsea]

Too bad the length was so short.

Yes, it was far too short. Really what it was was a televised bridge and galley tour.

 

But I thought it was rather well done, otherwise.

 

And of course it was fun to see so many people I know on TV - Chris Rynd, Ben Lyons, Ron Warwick, Bill Miller, Tom Cassidy and who knows, maybe others in the background as well :) .

 

With a little research and a quick call to our satellite program provider (with credit card in hand), we were able to watch it on WNBC ourselves last night.

Glad to hear that.

 

Actually, I had been under the impression that if you have satellite TV, you should either be able to get WNBC (if you live in the East) or KNBC (in the West)... But I could be wrong.

 

I have cable, so I'm not very well-versed in satellite stuff.

 

Only one small nit - with a little coaching, an edit, or a re-take, I would have thought that she could have pronounced Commodore Warwick's name correctly or at least the same way he does.

Yes, I thought of that also. I consoled myself by thinking that it was a very small error compared to the ones one usually seas when the mass media attempts to cover ships.

 

By the way, this is not the first "shippy" episode of "Jane's New York" - there was also once one on tugboats which was actually a lot of fun.

 

You've no doubt seen the video that was done about the QE2 several years ago. (I have a vague sense that it was produced by/for National Geographic, but I might be wrong.) That program is close to an hour long, but follows much the same format as the new QM2 program--it gives a picture of the workings of the ship (both in front of & behind the scenes), using a transatlantic voyage as the framework.

I can think of two programs similar to the one you describe. The first is a National Geographic special from, I think, 1979 or 1980. That one is about an hour long. The second was an A&E special from 1997 or thereabouts, which was, as I recall, two hours long.

 

Both of them did not focus just on QE2 but were actually histories of the Atlantic liners from the beginning of the 20th Century (maybe even earlier?) up to QE2, which were fit into the framework of a QE2 crossing. Actually, as I recall, the National Geographic special was one eastbound crossing, while the A&E one covered a full round-trip - though I don't remember whether it began in New York or Southampton.

 

The National Geographic film definitely had a "behind-the-scenes" aspect as well, while I don't think the A&E one did. As I recall, the National Geographic one showed more of QE2 while the A&E one focused more on history.

 

Keep in mind I'm going from memory here and haven't seen either of these in years, but that's what I remember anyhow.

 

For me, this program was a let down.

 

It was advertised all week as a QM2 Transatlantic Adventure.

Yes, it's true, it wasn't really what it was advertised as.

 

In reality it was more "Behind the Scenes on the QM2" than an actual film of what a crossing is like (which would have to be much longer).

 

However, knowing that "Jane's New York" is basically a "behind-the-scenes" type of program, it is pretty much what I expected. Going strictly from the advertising, I would have expected something different.

 

I did enjoy it, anyhow.

[Liv4cruzin]

Tandemtourer,

How nice of you to offer the "loaner". I MAY take you up on that later this month. I had asked a friend in Warwick, NY to record it this weekend. But there was a power outage; & when they came home from a weekend trip, they found that it didn't record. According to Cruiserking's post, it will be shown in both SFO & MIA on 10/21. I have a friend in both of those cities; so hopefully one (or both) of them can record it for me. But if all their efforts fail, I'll be begging you (or whoever has your tape by then) for a chance to borrow it. I can't wait to see it.

[Post Captain]

I can think of two programs similar to the one you describe. The first is a National Geographic special from, I think, 1979 or 1980. That one is about an hour long. The second was an A&E special from 1997 or thereabouts, which was, as I recall, two hours long.

 

Both of them did not focus just on QE2 but were actually histories of the Atlantic liners from the beginning of the 20th Century (maybe even earlier?) up to QE2, which were fit into the framework of a QE2 crossing. Actually, as I recall, the National Geographic special was one eastbound crossing, while the A&E one covered a full round-trip - though I don't remember whether it began in New York or Southampton.

 

The National Geographic film definitely had a "behind-the-scenes" aspect as well, while I don't think the A&E one did. As I recall, the National Geographic one showed more of QE2 while the A&E one focused more on history.

 

Keep in mind I'm going from memory here and haven't seen either of these in years, but that's what I remember anyhow.

Yes, the earlier (National Geographic) program is the one I was thinking of. Your description of it pretty much matches my recollection. It's been a while since I've seen it as well.

 

But where were the passenger activities, like bingo and Pub Trivia? Where was the adventure?

Never mind the bingo & pub trivia--how about those quoits matches and shuffleboard tournaments, not to mention the hours of excitement to be had in putting together that large tabletop puzzle of the Houses of Parliament! Or the thrilling karaoke sessions in which certain passengers imagine that they are Frank Sinatra? Well, at least we caught a glimpse of the shuffleboard markings on the teak deck...

 

But seriously... the sense of "adventure" one might experience on a transatlantic crossing does not translate well, if at all, to the small screen. That adventure depends mainly on one's own perceptions and emotions and imagination, the myriad subtle observations one makes during those days & nights aboard, the unexpected brief encounters one has with fellow passengers and crew. Ultimately, ships and the sea cannot be confined within a small (or even a largish) television screen; certainly the sounds and smells, the sensation of rising & falling while moving forward, and the vistas one sees at every turn on deck, cannot be depicted with much fidelity, however well-produced the program. The enjoyment one gets from such programs is in the way they might stir our memories of previous voyages and help us to anticipate our next voyage...

[jonmar]

Anyone TIVO this that can burn it onto a DVD and send it to me at my expense? biscayne55@yahoo.ca

Thanks.