QV Fitting Out

[Cruachan]

An acquaintenance of mine has just published a couple of photographs on his website of Queen Victoria fitting out in Trieste. You can find them here:

 

http://riversea.tugtalk.co.uk/distantshores/queenvictoria.htm

 

Jimmy

[Cornus]

Nice pics....can't wait to board her this Jan. in NYC.

[carlmm]

Thank you for posting.

Actually I am a little bit shocked. IMHO the QV looks worse than on other photos I have seen so far.

But for judgement I will wait for my first live viewing.

[songanddance]

That second photo does have a certain container ship look. So far no one has been able to design a ship that has all the amenities of a high rise apartment building and still the appearance of a real ocean liner.

 

I guess in the good old days of real ocean liners most of the passengers came from homes that did not have balconies and they were used to mixing with other people as they strolled on the Premanade Deck. Now people are so insular in their daily lives they want the same when on vacation, hence the need for private balconies. Hmm - May be a subject for one of my From The Right Side of The Street weekly societal observation columns.

[Druke I]

Thanks for the photos.

 

Interesting footnote "Cunard of California". I don't believe Carnival's Corporate Offices are in California, even if Princess' are down in Santa Clarita.

[stowaway2k]

For the Cunard Line of California! Samuel Cunard and John Brown will be spinning in their graves!!

If Samuel Cunard and John Brown were around today and still building passenger ships, the Queen Victoria is probably close to what they'd look like, for Sam and John to stay in business.

[worldcruiser90]

That second photo does have a certain container ship look. So far no one has been able to design a ship that has all the amenities of a high rise apartment building and still the appearance of a real ocean liner.

 

QM2 looks pretty good.

[Kindlychap]

So far no one has been able to design a ship that has all the amenities of a high rise apartment building and still the appearance of a real ocean liner.

 

I believe QM2 is a real liner. And, as such, looks like one.

 

Not a classic like Mary, Elizabeth and Elizabeth 2, but an up to date interpretation of a classic theme.

 

Matthew

[3rdGenCunarder]

In the first photo, off in the distance you can see a block of flats with balconies. Not too different from the ship...

 

Songanddance, you are so right about the insular nature of travelers. I fear that it is more American than European. I never mind not having a balcony on QE2 because the deck space and public rooms are so nice.

 

Kathy

[Namvet4]

Thank You Jimmy for posting and sharing the link!

 

If Samuel Cunard and John Brown were around today and still building passenger ships, the Queen Victoria is probably close to what they'd look like, for Sam and John to stay in business.

I believe there is a great deal of truth in that statement.... The rapid growth of the cruise industry demands an approach, all be it, not classical, that satisfies the current dynamics of the market.

just my 2 cents . . .

[guernseyguy]

The rapid growth of the cruise industry demands an approach, all be it, not classical, that satisfies the current dynamics of the market.. .

 

I'm sorry - but the current approach is classical - all the great lines and all the great shipyards ground out 'cookie cutter' ships - the economies of scale - and of not reinventing something that already worked - were as true then as they are now. With the (very rare) exceptions of ships like the '1000 footers' QUEEN MARY & QUEEN ELIZABETH Cunard typically ordered several of any one design - if a ship was a 'one off' the most likely reason was that it was a failure, and hence not worth repeating. Carnival (the most successful Cruise corporation, bar none) do not grind out Spirit/Vista/Signature class ships because they "want to be boring" - but because they work! Just as Sam Cunard did, and would do today.

 

Peter

[RobertQM2]

I'm sorry - but the current approach is classical - all the great lines ...............

............... but because they work! Just as Sam Cunard did, and would do today.

 

Peter

Good morning Peter, you are so right, this is the market. Anyway most of the time the big market means similarity to attract the crowds. I think that there are just not enough people to be attracted by real "Liners" to make enough business to even build one.

 

"Real Liners" would not fit to the demands as mentined above (balconies .....) and the little bunch of "Liner buffs" is to small for such a project (like bringing QM back into service or build a similar one).

 

So what's left for the enthusiast (in practice and theory) is to talk about former (better?) times, or/and be satisfied with what's offered on the market (even with steeper sterns and missing deckspace).

 

I think we are living in a phantastic world and its great for all of us to be able to take part in it. In this case I'm really looking forward to QV and all the upcoming cunard liners in the near or far future.

 

PS: I hope this is not too far off topic

 

Best regards to all the practising liner buffs in here, from one just in theory

[RAL72]

Thanks so much for your link... but this, and the previous photos i've seen, just confirm my thoughts - that its just appalling that this ship is being called a Cunard Queen.

[Lanky Lad]

Great pictures. I guess if you design something to have a lot of rooms all with balaconies, it ends up looking the same, whether it's a ship, a hotel or an appartment block. I wonder if we will get a view of her from QE2 as she leaves tonight?

[Namvet4]

I'm sorry - but the current approach is classical - all the great lines and all the great shipyards ground out 'cookie cutter' ships - the economies of scale - and of not reinventing something that already worked - were as true then as they are now. With the (very rare) exceptions of ships like the '1000 footers' QUEEN MARY & QUEEN ELIZABETH Cunard typically ordered several of any one design - if a ship was a 'one off' the most likely reason was that it was a failure, and hence not worth repeating. Carnival (the most successful Cruise corporation, bar none) do not grind out Spirit/Vista/Signature class ships because they "want to be boring" - but because they work! Just as Sam Cunard did, and would do today.

 

Peter

Petyer,

I apologize for not making my statement clear. In essence, I was referring to the fact that many on this board consider it an insult to call any ship that is of a "cookie cutter" - Spirit/Vista/Signature - class ships design a liner!

The proliferation of that design,IMHO, merely reflects the market dynamic. Accepting that the classical Cunard format was to order several of any one succcesful design, than the current executives of Cunard/Canival PLC are truly following a classical approach.

sorry for the confusion....:(

[guernseyguy]

From John Heald's blog:

 

 

And there is a tour update promised for tomorrow:

 

http://johnheald.wordpress.com/

 

Peter

[jeno]

An acquaintenance of mine has just published a couple of photographs on his website of Queen Victoria fitting out in Trieste. You can find them here:

 

http://riversea.tugtalk.co.uk/distantshores/queenvictoria.htm

 

Jimmy

 

For some reason this link isn't working for me. Does anyone else have a problem? Thanks

[cruiseonly]

I was just going to post that I cannot open the link. So it is not just my computer that will not open it.

[KenC]

New update now online.

 

 

 

 

 

http://johnheald.wordpress.com/

 

 

Ken

[bepsf]

Thanks for the photos.

 

Interesting footnote "Cunard of California". I don't believe Carnival's Corporate Offices are in California, even if Princess' are down in Santa Clarita.

 

Guess again.

 

Cunard's Corporate Offices are in Valencia, California which is right near Santa Clarita

 

Cunard Line Ltd.

24303 Town Center Dr # 200

Valencia, CA 91355

(661) 753-1000

 

Just off I-5 and Magic Mountain Parkway...

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=cunard&near=Valencia,+CA&ll=34.417304,-118.560743&iwstate1=dir:to&iwloc=A&f=d&daddr=24303+Town+Center+Dr+%23+200,+Valencia,+CA+91355

[K.sailaway]

Guess again.

 

Cunard's Corporate Offices are in Valencia, California which is right near Santa Clarita

 

Cunard Line Ltd.

24303 Town Center Dr # 200

Valencia, CA 91355

(661) 753-1000

 

 

For now... My money is on the entire Cunard Santa Clarita operation moving to Southampton.

 

K.

[KarenR_UK]

As the first QV thread I came across tonight, you are the recipients of the link:D

 

CC have a (short) news story about her

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2230

 

including some discussion "Cruise ship vs. ocean liner"

[msk68]

As the first QV thread I came across tonight, you are the recipients of the link:D

 

CC have a (short) news story about her

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2230

 

including some discussion "Cruise ship vs. ocean liner"

 

Ooooh, but lots of interesting detail and questions answered.

For ex. - we now know that it will be $50 for the theater boxes - didn't know that. Wonder if it will be actual champagne or the dreaded Pol Acker.

"Editor's Note: Cunard President Carol Marlow told us that the new Queen Elizabeth (the ship, incidentally, is named after the first queen, not the present one"

 

And that the new QE is being named for the first Queen not for Her Majesty. Please excuse my American ignorance but that would be Elizabeth I, right? Meaning the Tudor Elizabeth? Wonder if they will build that as the whole theme of the ship.

[bepsf]

For now... My money is on the entire Cunard Santa Clarita operation moving to Southampton.

 

K.

 

Why?

[msk68]

Why?

 

If anything I see (and please don't flame me to death) the entire Cunard operation moving to California. Then they can begin the complete merge with Princess. "We are Princess.....you WILL be assimilated"

 

Don't get me wrong, I think Princess has its merits but I personally could never consider them in the same league with Cunard. A nice line and worth traveling to Alaska if you have no other options (they and HAL have preferred berthing there due to their extensive history cruising there) but that is about it. I guess I will never be able to think of them without "The Love Boat" theme running through my head.