QE2 Re-engining

[Navaleye]

Hi, does anyone remember when the QE2 did its first voyage after its re-engining in the 80s. The one where the refit was unfinished on time. I'm looking for the month preferably.

 

Thanks

[Cunard Cruiser]

It was an April crossing (Southampton-NY) 1987.

[stowaway2k]

Probably the best page on the web about QE2's re-engining:

 

http://www.roblightbody.com/liners/qe-2/1987_Refit/index.htm

 

And the author's experience on board:

http://www.roblightbody.com/liners/qe-2/1987/index.htm

 

And with some great pictures!

[Beyondships]

There may be some confusion here. The re-engining refit was in 1987. There were problems coming out of that re-fit (e.g. the shaking due to the Grimm wheels that had been added to the propellors) but I believe the work was completed as scheduled.

 

The notorious re-fit that was not completed in time and which led to all the bad publicity was in 1994. It was a re-fit of the interior of the ship including the addition of the Lido, the expansion of the Yacht Club, removal of Alpha and Beta, and much more. The ship began the January 1995 World Cruise with workmen still onboard. If you need more info about that re-fit, check out http://www.beyondships.com/QE2-1000-1.html

[cunardqueen]

Hi, does anyone remember when the QE2 did its first voyage after its re-engining in the 80s. The one where the refit was unfinished on time. I'm looking for the month preferably.

 

Thanks

Yes l do !!!

 

April 29th 1987 the new QE2 set sail at 1900 on her 2nd Maiden Voyage bound for New York. This was my second time onboard, a voyage l will never forget, Had just been given the loan of a video camera at the time and took loads of footage of everything!! l was nearly 18 at the time and travelling solo.

 

Some of the footage l have is of the unfinished state of 5 deck and the then vice president of Cunard Mike Novak asking me to switch the camera off, Not realising who he was l just carried on. The planned big welcome in NY was cancelled! when we went ashore the media hounded the passengers for horror stories of the crossing. l let slip that l have some great footage of the crossing etc and was asked if they could borrow it, No was the prompt reply then they asked could they buy it !! that was a definate No and the one guy asked what it would take to get the film. He was l remember most surprised when l said it wasnt for sale, and l always remember being asked why not as there was some big bucks on offer and l told him the the almighty QE2 has just under gone a big operation,and like any lady she hasnt quite recovered and its not fair to show her in her present state.

 

I was also interviewed with photos by a sunday paper who wanted to hear all the bad bits,of which l gave nothing away and would only praise my ship.

The outward crossing we had the Staff Captain Carr as a host. For some reason the homeward crossing l was moved to the Columbia along with a load of other British passengers, what struck me is how most of the Brits were defending the ship and a great many others from overseas were hell bent on getting compensation.

 

We failed to proceed for a short time one afternoon on the Atlantic, a Bridge visit was arranged as well as an engine room tour l managed to have a kitchen and stores tour by an ex Buckingham palace waiter and saw the kitchens in full swing and taken down to the heart of the lady herself (but thats another story), and asked down to castaways for the first time. My waiters were there and a new friendship formed:rolleyes:

 

All that affected my cabin was l had no cold water to the sink so l had to shave in bottled water supplied free, and every night there were gifts on the pillow (long before ebay appeared!! l was still a collector back then) and some of my prized items come from back then:eek:

 

The cabin steward was from the days of old and l was enthralled by his tales and stories of life aboard and we shared the hobby of Magic:eek: (please no jokes about the magic wand!!) When l went to give him my tip at the end of the crossing he wouldnt take it and said how much he enjoyed the chats and laughs! Of course l ensured he got the envelope in the end with something extra.

 

The last day Cunard had a free bar and we docked in Southampton in the late afternoon, disembarked and caught the boat train to London and overnighted with friends, with instructions to call home ASAP as the the ship had made pretty bad headlines and people were concerned that l might not have enjoyed the crossings, That couldn't have been further from the truth, l loved each and every minute of the time onboard and the people who had shown me such kindness onboard that l knew deep down l just had to go back again. It just confirmed after my first trip the year before I had fallen for the QE2 in a very big way.

 

So lm afraid when shes arrives in Southampton at the end of my very last crossing onboard and l disembark,a little bit of me will die that day :o

Cheers

Myles

[travel-to-go]

Myles.

What a marvelous story (from a marvelous and ethical man!)

Marry me! I'm sure Marc won't mind! <LOL>

are you sure you can't sneak away for the April 12th Eastbound with me. We're getting the ship's tour from Thomas, yes. But a personal tour from you would be the piece de resistance!

 

Karie

[RAL72]

I was onboard for the shakedown cruise from Bremerhaven to Southampton, immediately before her trip to New York, as Kyle has kindly pointed out above.

 

The ship was a MESS during that time. Deck 5 was entirely flooded when we were onboard - you actually saw water when you looked down the stairwells which was rather alarming... and my Mum ended up in floods of tears at the chaos. It did start to improve as we got to Southampton, but she was still a mess... understandable given that she'd basically been rebuilt during the previous 6 months!

 

One other thing I clearly recall is watching hundreds and hundreds of plastic deckchairs get thrown overboard - they stretched to the horizon in our wake...

[cunardqueen]

Myles.

What a marvelous story (from a marvelous and ethical man!)

Marry me! I'm sure Marc won't mind! <LOL>

are you sure you can't sneak away for the April 12th Eastbound with me. We're getting the ship's tour from Thomas, yes. But a personal tour from you would be the piece de resistance!

 

Karie

__________________

 

Karie,

If l thought for a minute l could get time off and afford the crossing l would do it !!! But alas l cant on both counts, And there is no way l can give up my farewell crossing even to be with you:(

As for a personal tour, Hmm not sure if tour is the word l would use, But l could tell you a few tales of my experiences, Im not sure they are suitable for on here mindyou, But you can imagine how the "inter course cigarette" tale ended up, It broke the formality of the table and the lady who asked me was such a scream afterwards!

If l knew how to work a scanner thingy l would put on a few pics

[travel-to-go]

I am sure between us I could teach you (and me!) how to scan.

I've done a couple of them! Might be worth it for those pics!

You know my email addy!

 

<G>

 

Karie,

who can't IMAGINE how the Inter course (horse racing?) cigarette ended up!

(by a nose?)