What to do with QE2

[lexxity]

So why not keep her that way when she reitres? What better way to train than on a real ship?

[KenC]

I've heard on the grapvine that 2008 will be her last season. Heard from staff on the QM2 last week.

 

Why don't Cunard keep her and use her as a training vessel for their "White Star Academy"?

 

On behalf of all the QE2 fans here I have to ask what exactly you heard ????

 

Think she would be a bit too expensive to keep as a training academy????

 

There's a lot of talk about a static role for the ship in Southampton - but is this really finacially viable? Who, apart from the locals, go to Southampton for any other reason than to get on a ship that is sailing - how many tourists visit in the winter??? I still see her in Australian waters with a big blue and yellow flash along her side sailing as 'Pacific Queen' - mark my words, Carnival will still want to get their money's worth even after Cunard have finished with her!!!

 

Ken

[pnhmrk]

Carnival will still want to get their money's worth even after Cunard have finished with her!

 

Can you blame them?

[KenC]

Can you blame them?

 

Well, of course not - but there may be 'others' who feel differently!!!

[bobby1119]

There is a growing market for regular cruises in the South Pacific from Australian ports. The Aussies and the Kiwis are quite taken by the QE2 during her annual visits to Australia & NZ where draws a lot of attention. Maybe it might make sense to consider basing her out of Syndey or Auckland, making "down under" cruises of varied itineraries and lengths much in the same way she does from Southampton. She could even do something like an annual 30 day or so "Grand Pacific Circular Voyage" - a sort of variation on the world cruise.

 

Just some thoughts. Eager to hear your thoughts.

 

PS I will surely keep my ears open on the world cruise this year and pursue the issue.

[captain_rad]

She could even do something like an annual 30 day or so "Grand Pacific Circular Voyage" quote]

 

Great idea. We were just looking at 2008 Sydney - Los Angeles

[Kindlychap]

There is a growing market for regular cruises in the South Pacific from Australian ports. The Aussies and the Kiwis are quite taken by the QE2 during her annual visits to Australia & NZ where draws a lot of attention. Maybe it might make sense to consider basing her out of Syndey or Auckland, making "down under" cruises of varied itineraries and lengths much in the same way she does from Southampton. She could even do something like an annual 30 day or so "Grand Pacific Circular Voyage" - a sort of variation on the world cruise.

 

Isn't the point that she is making good money doing what she does? And once she reaches the point where the cost of running her exceeds the income, how will moving her to Australia alter that?

 

From what we hear it is the superstructure that will determine her life span, or SOLAS regulations. Both of which are not geographically relevant. To start marketing an old ship in a new arena is probably a step too far. How may of us in this country will fly to Australia to meet her? It will make the cost prohibitive. And it is the English based market that her repeat customers are based on - at least in the main. (With a significant nod to the Americans, of course)

[KenC]

Isn't the point that she is making good money doing what she does? And once she reaches the point where the cost of running her exceeds the income, how will moving her to Australia alter that?

 

From what we hear it is the superstructure that will determine her life span, or SOLAS regulations. Both of which are not geographically relevant. To start marketing an old ship in a new arena is probably a step too far. How may of us in this country will fly to Australia to meet her? It will make the cost prohibitive. And it is the English based market that her repeat customers are based on - at least in the main. (With a significant nod to the Americans, of course)

 

Is she making good money? We only have Cunard PR's word for it. The cheap seats are filling easily, huge upgrades are very common and Q class is being sold by some extraordinarily cheap offers on some sailings.

 

If SOLAS is not achievable economically she will go for scrap in 2009 anyway.

 

Carnival sometimes send their 'older' ships down under when their days in their original fleets are numbered.

 

The ship would be aimed at the growing Aussie market and apparently cruise fares out of Australia are higher than comparative fares in Europe and America.

 

QE2 would still be welcomed as a 'prestige' ship in the Pacific when her position as such in Cunard is drawing to a close.

 

Ken

Always up for a debate

[pnhmrk]

Huge upgrades are very common

 

Are they? How do you get one? Are we talking QE2 or QM2?

[pnhmrk]

OK. I've just go onto the next post and read "We had been upgraded from M4 to C2" but that isn't that common.

[lexxity]

The staff members seemed to think her 2008 world cruise would be her last and then she would be taken out of service.

 

I thought, though, she was SOLAS until 2010? I hope they don't get rid of her she is such a wonderful old lady and such a wonderful piece of British history. But look at the Canberra.

[Louise D]

As one of the QE2's regulars from Australia, I am realistic enough to say that there would not be enough business for her down here in this part of the world.

 

It is true that she sought-after by some passengers who take a short passage around Australia (eg Sydney to Perth) during World Cruises, but that demand would not be sufficient to support a permanent base here.

 

In addition, the perception of the QE2 in Australia is that she is rare and special (because so rarely seen). I think that if she was here more frequently, the remaining lustre would wear thin.

 

We already have several "Pacific Princess" type mass market ships, where all the fares are very cheap. This seems to appeal to most people. Then there are some very high end small operations, which do seem to be doing O.K. but obviously only appealing to a small number of people.

 

So I do not think the Australian/New Zealand suggestion is commercially sound. On the other hand, a couple of years ago, there was a suggestion that a Japanese company was interested in buying the QE2 to run Pacific cruises from Japan, catering mostly to their nationals. They would certainly have the population to support such a venture.

 

Regards, Louise

[KenC]

As one of the QE2's regulars from Australia, I am realistic enough to say that there would not be enough business for her down here in this part of the world.

 

It is true that she sought-after by some passengers who take a short passage around Australia (eg Sydney to Perth) during World Cruises, but that demand would not be sufficient to support a permanent base here.

 

In addition, the perception of the QE2 in Australia is that she is rare and special (because so rarely seen). I think that if she was here more frequently, the remaining lustre would wear thin.

 

We already have several "Pacific Princess" type mass market ships, where all the fares are very cheap. This seems to appeal to most people. Then there are some very high end small operations, which do seem to be doing O.K. but obviously only appealing to a small number of people.

 

So I do not think the Australian/New Zealand suggestion is commercially sound. On the other hand, a couple of years ago, there was a suggestion that a Japanese company was interested in buying the QE2 to run Pacific cruises from Japan, catering mostly to their nationals. They would certainly have the population to support such a venture.

 

Regards, Louise

 

Hi Louise

 

My take was that the 'mass market' ships were relatively expensive compared to UK and US cruises??? If she were to go then it would be as a 'mass market' ship not QE2.

 

Interesting about the Japaness connection - forgot that she was chartered for some months a few years ago. I believe she is of great interest in Japan and might fare better in a static role there than in the UK???

 

Ken

[Louise D]

Ken, I think that the cruise fares here are pretty cheap, which is what has led to the bad element of drinking and carousing on board. There is currently a scandal about one poor lady who died on board one of these ships out of Brisbane when she was administered some kind of date-rape drug by a group of men preying on females. It is not a nice element, and most people I have spoken to would not go on these cruises.

 

The Japanese love QE2, but Carnival is not catering to them. A few years ago, the Japanese could readily take a segment of the World Cruise, such as from Bali to Kobe or Kobe to Hong Kong, and during those passages, the ship was really quite full of Japanese. In fact, the ladies liked to steal the Gentlemen Hosts away from the other passengers, and this caused a bit of ill-feeling. However, now Carnival will not sell passages to cater to the Japanese. It is really quite impossible to purchase a segment of the World Cruise that begins or terminates in Japan, thus we do not see many Japanese on board anymore.

 

Regards, Louise

[guernseyguy]

Is she making good money? We only have Cunard PR's word for it.

 

No, we have Mickey Arison at one of the recent Carnival Quarterly earnings Q&As - he's no sentimentalist, and he'd get into serious trouble for telling analysts needless porkies. One of the things that make QE2's economics difficult to guage for the 'look M7s at £499 she must be failing' brigade is the price of the higher end QG suites. A staff captain told me on my last crossing that filling one of those pays the fuel bill for the entre World Cruise....

 

Peter

[KenC]

Ken, I think that the cruise fares here are pretty cheap, which is what has led to the bad element of drinking and carousing on board. There is currently a scandal about one poor lady who died on board one of these ships out of Brisbane when she was administered some kind of date-rape drug by a group of men preying on females. It is not a nice element, and most people I have spoken to would not go on these cruises.

 

The Japanese love QE2, but Carnival is not catering to them. A few years ago, the Japanese could readily take a segment of the World Cruise, such as from Bali to Kobe or Kobe to Hong Kong, and during those passages, the ship was really quite full of Japanese. In fact, the ladies liked to steal the Gentlemen Hosts away from the other passengers, and this caused a bit of ill-feeling. However, now Carnival will not sell passages to cater to the Japanese. It is really quite impossible to purchase a segment of the World Cruise that begins or terminates in Japan, thus we do not see many Japanese on board anymore.

 

Regards, Louise

 

Yes, I'd read about the date-rape case - horrendous!

 

Why do you think Carnival ignores the Japanese???

 

Ken

[KenC]

No, we have Mickey Arison at one of the recent Carnival Quarterly earnings Q&As - he's no sentimentalist, and he'd get into serious trouble for telling analysts needless porkies. One of the things that make QE2's economics difficult to guage for the 'look M7s at £499 she must be failing' brigade is the price of the higher end QG suites. A staff captain told me on my last crossing that filling one of those pays the fuel bill for the entre World Cruise....

 

Peter

 

I got the impression that they sell the M class over and over again and upgrade pax to C, P or even G class. Personally I have been upgraded twice from C to P and the ladies we dined with on the last cruise had been upgraded from M to P.

 

Take your point about the top suite paying out £250K for a world cruise - does that mean that QV will be twice as profitable, as undoubtedly she must be cheaper to run and she has many more top end suites than QE2???

 

Ken

[pnhmrk]

I got the impression that they sell the M class over and over again and upgrade pax to C, P or even G class.

 

I thought that (almost that, I thought the top and bottom went first leaving the mid range cabins till last). However I've been keeping an eye on her Christmas cruise (because we're on it). Single cabins at all levels went first, I don't know when but they were all gone six months ago. QG was sold out about three months ago, PG went about two months ago and Caronia a month ago. The only cabins left now are a few at the bottom of Mauretania.

[KenC]

I thought that (almost that, I thought the top and bottom went first leaving the mid range cabins till last). However I've been keeping an eye on her Christmas cruise (because we're on it). Single cabins at all levels went first, I don't know when but they were all gone six months ago. QG was sold out about three months ago, PG went about two months ago and Caronia a month ago. The only cabins left now are a few at the bottom of Mauretania.

 

You would probably find that 'specials' such as Xmas/New Year/40th anniversaries buck the trend.

 

Bookings are a strange creature - we have booked an outside cabin on a 5 day trip on Celebrity Constellation to Ireland next April and now it seems all inside and outside cabins are fully booked with just balconies left. On the same ship we wanted a balcony on a repositioning trip from NYC to the Caribbean next November and the only cabins left now are insides and outsides (we managed to catch one of the last balconies when a few reappeared for a few days). Go figure that out???

 

It seems strange that there were those huge discounts advertised on QE2 QG grade for a November crossing to Fort Lala and none for the January crossing - or is it early days??

 

Ken

[juliecat]

The January crossing is sold out (theoretically). It is the beginning of the World Cruise for the Europeans and Brits and a lovely get away for the Winter Crossing Club. The January crossing was never even advertised in the US market!

 

Julia

[KenC]

The January crossing is sold out (theoretically). It is the beginning of the World Cruise for the Europeans and Brits and a lovely get away for the Winter Crossing Club. The January crossing was never even advertised in the US market!

 

Julia

 

They are still advertising January crossing offers in the newspapers in the UK....

[pnhmrk]

They are still advertising January crossing offers in the newspapers in the UK....

 

I got a flyer from Cunard only yesterday advertising the crossing and a couple of nights in New York. We were very tempted just to say that we'd stay on after Christmas and cross the Atlantic - if work didn't get in the way:( See http://www.cunard.co.uk/OnOffer_Details.asp?ID=111

[juliecat]

The January crossing isn't even listed on the US website, though the April crossing is now.

 

Julia

[KenC]

I thought that (almost that, I thought the top and bottom went first leaving the mid range cabins till last). ........

 

Ask Gavboy!!!!

[pnhmrk]

You would probably find that 'specials' such as Xmas/New Year/40th anniversaries buck the trend.

 

Why? I could see that they could sell out more quickly but not that there are a greater proportion of people who can afford the Grills on a "special" cruise than there would be on a normal one.

 

(Remind me about Gavboy)