QE2 sale - all inclusive

[Navaleye]

I learned today that the QE2's sail to to Dubai includes the entire contents of the ship including artwork, memorabilia and all heritage items. Nothings gets removed, including the sculpture of the Queen's head in the Queen's Room.

[guernseyguy]

I learned today that the QE2's sail to to Dubai includes the entire contents of the ship including artwork, memorabilia and all heritage items.

 

Good luck to them, because not all of it belongs top them to sell - for example the painting of the Mauretania leaving the Tyne is on loan.......Can you name your source?

 

Peter

[Lanky Lad]

I wonder if Dubai and Cunard have the same idea of what is and is not included in the sale?

[GAV BOY]

I learned today that the QE2's sail to to Dubai includes the entire contents of the ship including artwork, memorabilia and all heritage items. Nothings gets removed, including the sculpture of the Queen's head in the Queen's Room.

 

When i was onboard in June, Peter Boyd-Smith informed me that he had sold his collection displayed in Cabinets to Cunard. He also said that the items in the Wardroom belonged to the Officers and not Cunard !

 

regards,

 

Gavin

[Navaleye]

My source was one of the ships officers. I am sure that the sale contract will specify only those items to which Cunard has ownership.

[Richard Schmidt]

I learned today that the QE2's sail to to Dubai includes the entire contents of the ship including artwork, memorabilia and all heritage items. Nothings gets removed, including the sculpture of the Queen's head in the Queen's Room.

 

I am told by Cunard sources here in Santa Clarita that it was sold "as is" with ALL the furnishings, including the ship models, the Queen Mary's grand piano, and the statue "Spirit of the Atlantic". It is a damn shame. It is like selling the Louvre to a paint-by-numbers "art" school.

[Rotterdam]

Unfortunately for those of us that love the QE2 & ocean voyages we are the last of a breed.

 

To Cunrad/ Carnivore the QE2 is simply an aging asset that is to be wrotten off at any costs & magically have found a buyer that is offering far more than even Arrrison could of imagined....that piano in the Chart Room is simply match sticks to the corporate suits.

 

Carnivore could of put the QE2 at dock in Southampton or NYC & run it as a museum.....but the Queen Mary is wasting away...funny thing is that the ROTTERDAM is being restored.....

 

hmmmm...why does greed appear to be the word that comes to mind when Carnivore is involved..save your heart ...sail on QE2 before she is no more...

[new to cuising]

See also this thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=577708

[Kindlychap]

All of the great liners were built with one thing in mind - to make money.

 

Each was disposed of in the way that made most money for the parent company.

 

It's called business. Companies have a duty to their shareholders.

 

We don't have to like it, but let's not pretend that Carnival are doing anything new.

 

Matthew

[ggo85]

Just came off the QE2 and the cruise staff person who gives the Heritage Trail tour confirmed that, indeed, the QE2 is being sold with all possessions, including the piano, Mauritania painting, models, paintings of the Queen & late Queen Mother, etc. It's very sad but, as someone above said, it's business.

 

The alternative is a fate such as the Norway -- save the relics, but watch the ship become razor blades. :(

[Kindlychap]

Just came off the QE2 and the cruise staff person who gives the Heritage Trail tour confirmed that, indeed, the QE2 is being sold with all possessions, including the piano, Mauritania painting, models, paintings of the Queen & late Queen Mother, etc.

 

Did you ask how they planned to sell items that don't belong to them?

 

Matthew

[ggo85]

Did you ask how they planned to sell items that don't belong to them?

 

No. I reported on what passengers on the QE2 were told last week.

 

I'm not in the business of determining which items belong to Cunard and which don't. I assume that an official Cunard spokesperson (and I consider a Cunard employee being paid to speak to passengers regarding the sale of the QE2 -- among other topics -- to be an "official spokesperson") knew whereof he was speaking. He clearly mentioned the items I referenced in my prior email as "going to Dubai" with the QE2. If you think he's providing incorrect information or is misinformed, take it up with Cunard.

[rjms74]

kindlychap, yes it's business. But comments from long serving staff on my last 3 week cruise on QE2 in Sep/Oct 2006 come back to me 'the QE2 is making much more money / profit than QM2 & will be in service for a few more years yet'. I still think there must be some underlying major engineeering work needed apart from SOLAS compliance that sealed poor QE2's fate to decommission a lot sooner everyone expected!!

 

I cannot wait to get back onboard though just under 2 months now for another 2 week cruise- it will just be sad as I get closer to my final 2 voyages for 2008 & realising that I won't be coming back ever onboard when QE2 is at sea - I may though go to see her in Dubai if I can face it!!!! after the refurbishment!!!

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[guernseyguy]

I still think there must be some underlying major engineeering work needed apart from SOLAS compliance that sealed poor QE2's fate to decommission a lot sooner everyone expected!!

 

There is - all the exhaust gas economisers need overhaul by November 2008:

 

http://www.cdlive.lr.org/vesselstatus.asp?LRNO=6725418

 

By taking her out of service then, I guess they save quite a bill!

 

See also this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=337047

 

Which proved quite prophetic on the date (within 2 months), albeit it appears for the wrong reason.....

 

Peter

[cunardqueen]

I may though go to see her in Dubai if I can face it!!!! after the refurbishment!!!

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

 

RJMS74,

 

Im just surprised how it was kept secret for so long, and its taken everyone by surprise! Even Cunard who had to rehash her final few voyages, doesnt quite seem fitting for such a grand old lady does it?

As for visiting her in Dubai, can you really face walking the decks that graced the oceans on many voyages, and have all the memories of all the years cruising onboard,as she is tied up at some berth on a man made island in the middle of a tacky tourist site:eek:

For me it will be a very cold day down below before l visit:mad:

Anyway Look forward to seeing you onboard in October:)

[nitwit]

RJMS74,

 

Im just surprised how it was kept secret for so long, and its taken everyone by surprise! Even Cunard who had to rehash her final few voyages, doesnt quite seem fitting for such a grand old lady does it?

As for visiting her in Dubai, can you really face walking the decks that graced the oceans on many voyages, and have all the memories of all the years cruising onboard,as she is tied up at some berth on a man made island in the middle of a tacky tourist site:eek:

For me it will be a very cold day down below before l visit:mad:

Anyway Look forward to seeing you onboard in October:)

 

at least she's still here.

i can take my son to see her in a few years so he can see what he sailed on twice before he was 18 months old.

in all honesty i can't see what all the fuss is about (barr contents).

she will be looked after and, like i say will still be here to see for future generations. they can look at her in awe and you can tell them you sailed on her.

i don't want to start an argument it really is only my opinion:).

glenn.

[exlondoner]

Nitwit. Your opinion seems very measured to me. :) At least she will be there for futrure generations to see. And the Dubai people have lots of money and know about running tourist attractions. Having spent so much to get her, surely they must care for her well.

[Kindlychap]

at least she's still here.

i can take my son to see her in a few years so he can see what he sailed on twice before he was 18 months old.

in all honesty i can't see what all the fuss is about (barr contents).

she will be looked after and, like i say will still be here to see for future generations. they can look at her in awe and you can tell them you sailed on her.

i don't want to start an argument it really is only my opinion:).

glenn.

 

Is she still there? She's not doing what she was built for. She's parked in the middle of nowhere.

 

I'm with Myles - Queen Elizabeth 2 is built for the North Atlantic and that is where her real home is. Cruising is a second best activity for her.

 

I don't want to see her ripped out and "preserved" - look at the disasters that have befallen all the other great liners, save Mary. And she's not looking promising.....

 

Matthew

[nitwit]

Is she still there? She's not doing what she was built for. She's parked in the middle of nowhere.

 

I'm with Myles - Queen Elizabeth 2 is built for the North Atlantic and that is where her real home is. Cruising is a second best activity for her.

 

I don't want to see her ripped out and "preserved" - look at the disasters that have befallen all the other great liners, save Mary. And she's not looking promising.....

 

Matthew

 

but wouldn't it be nice to still have mauritania around so we could look at her lines and walk around a ship that was before our time?

and don't say "not if she was in a state of disrepair" because i don't think that will happen to qe2.

dubai have had to buy what we have enjoyed for four decades because they don't have the cunard history. even if she's not going trans-atlantic we should still be proud of our history and that somebody else covets it.

glenn.

[pnhmrk]

wouldn't it be nice to still have mauritania around so we could look at her lines and walk around a ship that was before our time?

 

And say just how poor the majority of the accommodation onboard was? There's no chance of that happening on QE2 - decks 4 and 5 will certainly be ripped out and replaced by 5* hotel rooms. I suspect there will only be a few of the ultra deluxe cabins on Deck 1 to remind us of what transatlantic travel was like in the 1970s.

 

i don't think that will happen to qe2.

 

Glenn - I agree with you. Dubai will not let QE2 fall into disrepair, quite the opposite. She'll be beautified; turned into somebody idea of what crossing the Atlantic was like rather than what it is actually like. She'll be turned into Disneyland by Sea:( with no real concept of having to earn her keep.

[nitwit]

And say just how poor the majority of the accommodation onboard was? There's no chance of that happening on QE2 - decks 4 and 5 will certainly be ripped out and replaced by 5* hotel rooms. I suspect there will only be a few of the ultra deluxe cabins on Deck 1 to remind us of what transatlantic travel was like in the 1970s.

 

 

 

Glenn - I agree with you. Dubai will not let QE2 fall into disrepair, quite the opposite. She'll be beautified; turned into somebody idea of what crossing the Atlantic was like rather than what it is actually like. She'll be turned into Disneyland by Sea:( with no real concept of having to earn her keep.

 

your points are both taken mathew and malcolm but they are speculative and i may be looking at the situation with naivety. i won't say anything is better than alang but alot is, and where i am being naive you are being romantic.

we will just have to wait and see and all hope you are wrong.

glenn.

[Rotterdam]

As far as someone's comment of this being business....yes that is true - but it also the end of an era that touched millions of peoples lives.....the transatlantic liner was a man made marvel that transported immigrants, soldiers & vacationers during the last century. Obvioulsly the ROTTERDAM is quite worthy of being turned into a museum in her own country - so why not QE2??????

 

There is more than enough profit to bring QE2 to a suitable berth restore her...she is the last of a breed...true history. And it happens to be history that many people love & want to experience. Also - so much great art & engineering innovations have been lost that we will never see again - the FRANCE, the ITalian Line liners)

 

THe corporate world is has turned its back on many opportunities just for the sake of profit...for once I would like to see Carnivore do something to pay homage to a ship that helped make those $$$$$$.

[3rdGenCunarder]

And say just how poor the majority of the accommodation onboard was? There's no chance of that happening on QE2 - decks 4 and 5 will certainly be ripped out and replaced by 5* hotel rooms. I suspect there will only be a few of the ultra deluxe cabins on Deck 1 to remind us of what transatlantic travel was like in the 1970s.

 

I've been wondering about this. They certainly can't sell the small cabins on 4 and 5 as they are. But even if they knock out walls and make the cabins larger, there is still the porthole issue. They're small and high up on the wall. Not exactly ***** hotel room. PLEASE tell me they won't add balconies and/or picture windows!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Kathy

[pnhmrk]

there is still the porthole issue. They're small and high up on the wall. Not exactly ***** hotel room. PLEASE tell me they won't add balconies and/or picture windows!:eek:

 

Gut Decks 4 and 5 (possibly 6 and 7 as well as their proximity to the waterline won't matter anymore and probably 3 , 2 and parts of 1). Get rid of the central bow to stern corridor and replace it with a walkway round the hull. The new rooms do get picture windows that look out onto this new area of deck and are accessed from this deck. I am not saying that is what they are planning, just that it would be one way of getting round the porthole problem:)

[exlondoner]

It's not just a hotel that it is going to be, but also apparently a retail opportunity, not that Dubai appears to need another one. Presumably decks 4 and 5 are where the shops will be, surely.