Condition of 1st class pool

[Stuart Kelly]

I just watched this:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tj4wbhgzUVg

it's presumably from the late 80s/early 90s.

The most remarkable thing about it however, is that it shows the condition of the pool back then. When I was there in May, you could only describe the pool's current condition as "trashed" compared to the way it is there:

*It is now dirty both at the poolside and in the pool tub itself

*the furniture seen at the pool side is now broken,

*the tiles are in disarray

*the cracks caused by the removal of the supporting infrastructure during the 'conversion' are very wide and the bollards at the dressing boxes end are now tilting towards the pool tub.

*it's full of unsightly crap for the incredibly lame 'Ghosts and Legends' tour.

*I understand a certain ship memorabilia dealer in the 1990s tresspassed onto the poolside, stole one or possibly two of the ceiling light fittings, sold them and then later boasted about what he'd done at Titanic enthusiasts' conventions.

It's a travesty. It makes me sick seeing something so aesthetically pleasing in such a terrible state.

I look forward to see the detail of the new lease holder's plans for their $6 million refurbishment. I do hope they will rescue the pool from further decay. I can't help but think $6m is going to be short of the complete overhaul of the ship that's needed by a long way.

 

[Sean Hankins]

Stuart,

Just in case you haven't seen this:

http://www.presstelegram.com/newss/ci_7400585

It looks like the $6 mil is going to be used for the first batch of renovations for hotel and kitchen improvements over the next 18 months.

It's sad that the pool area is locked tight and the only "official" way to see it is by subjecting yourself to the ghost tour.

Whats even more sad is that it would have cost a lot less to fix this a few years ago if a missing structural flange was replaced when the problem was identified. Now the cost would jump a lot more once you take into account all the repairs to the area around the tank.

 

[Stuart Kelly]

I suppose that's understandable given the number of 1 star reviews the hotel gets on trip advisor. Apparently, that wasn't the general opinion people had of it in the 70s and 80s when major hotel corporations ran it.

I certainly hope to return in 2 years and see the place looking much better. A desk clerk told me when I was there in May that the hotel does make a profit, as does the conferences and events they hold, however whatever money that is made is not apparently going into maintainence of the ship. He also mentioned couples who would come and stay a weekend every year who've noticed it going downhill.

Will be nice for everyone to see this decline reversed.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Will be nice for everyone to see this decline reversed.<<

Yes it would be, and they had better do more then just fix the bloody swimming pool. A hull sitting in salt water and constantly assaulted by salt air tends not to hold up very well.

 

[Sean Hankins]

Mike, you seem to know a good deal about hull protection so I thought I'd ask you this: Apparently the QM has a cathodic protection system on the outer hull to arrest the affects of corrosion. How long term is something like this effective?

I had heard some time ago that this has kept the outer hull in good shape and any problems with the ship will come from the inner hull.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>How long term is something like this effective? <<

I don't know if anybody has ever published a quantitative analysis of this. From the ships I've seen in the mothball fleet at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, it works well enough that ships out of service for over a quarter century can be brought back into service. Of course, the catch is that the rest of the preservations measures aren't compromised.

A ship in mothballs is typically sealed up with the temperature and humidity closely controlled. If that's broken somehow, you could be facing serious problems later on.

That brings us to the Queen Mary where preservation and upkeep has been...to put it kindly...a lot less then optimal, and that's the reason that there are problems now. The hull may be sound, but there's a lot of damage done by corrosion in salt air which needs to be made right.

 

[Sean Hankins]

Stuart don't count on seeing the pool restored anytime soon. Apparently the new lessee loves 'Ghosts & Legends'. I got a good look at the pool last month and it made me sick. I posted some pics on Julian Hill's site. I don't understand how they could look at pictures of the pool as it was in service and do nothing about the condition its in now.

 

[Stuart Kelly]

Thanks Sean, I just saw the photos. I see the damage I saw 18 months ago has not been repaired and is getting worse. I wish I was a billionaire so I would have enough money to save the Queen Mary.

I can't understand why anyone of any intelligence or education likes that tour. It counts on its patrons being stupid or ignorant of the ship's layout and history. More importantly, it damages the ship: particularly the pool which one of her most beautiful areas. I'd be a happier man if I heard they were stopping the tour and restoring the areas it covers properly.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>It counts on its patrons being stupid or ignorant of the ship's layout and history.<<

Which unfortunately, is a pretty safe bet. Ship enthusiasts such as ourselves who really know the score are a destinct minority.

 

[Stuart Kelly]

I would argue one doesn't have to be a ship enthusiast to think the G&H Tour is somewhat tacky, ignorant and cheap. You just need an IQ that's greater than 80 or so. The stuff they tell you is about as convincing as the existence of Santa and the Tooth Fairy. Check out Julian's critique (whith Sean's photos) of this thing that's contributing to the Queen Mary's slow death:

http://www.sterling.rmplc.co.uk/visions/ghostsandlegends.html

Repair the pool, open up the cargo hold and restore the 3rd class dining room! Surely people paying to swim, eat and see the cargo hold, one of the most spectacular sights on the ship, would draw in as much, if not more money than this kitsch tour which exposes its patrons as either gullible or incredulous.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Check out Julian's critique (whith Sean's photos) of this thing that's contributing to the Queen Mary's slow death:<<

I can sum it up in one word: Neglect!

 

[Russell Smith]

Fake cobwebs. Dirty pool. Lifeboats about to rot and fall from their davits. Holes in the deck.

Samuel Cunard would turn over in his grave. Better perhaps to see the Queen at the bottom of the Atlantic.

 

[Sean Hankins]

I actually wrote that article Stuart referenced. When I was down in these areas I couldn't believe the condition they're in. Some of it isn't even neglect, its outright vandalism! These areas were purposely made to look like this to add to the 'theme' of the tour. It did make me smile when we were exiting the tour and you could hear other guests commenting "that was lame" and that "the boiler rooms were cool". Yeah no kidding and you don't even need the rubbish there to experience them! Another note should be that there didn't appear to be any more interest in this tour than of the regular guided tours.

 

[Stuart Kelly]

Sorry about that Sean, I was assuming it'd be Julian. I wonder if you'd be up for using any of the photos I took on my trip last year. I managed to get into the stores in the bow and photographed the heavily damaged capital of the broken electolier from the Restaurant. I also photographed the wall lining from the 2nd class children's playroom.

I take it was you who added the new photos of the Observation Bar and inside the centre funnel. I tried to get into one of the funnels with my companions but they were all padlocked. Walking across the upper decks, I remember being struck by how littered and rundown they were, resembling in places a wasteground strewn with discarded electrical items such as satellite dishes. From your photo of inside the centre funnel, it appears there has been no tidy up. I don't imagine it would cost much out of the $6 million to tidy up these unkempt areas of the ship.

I was hearing similar comments about the G&H tour on leaving it in May of last year, including from my companions who were paranormal investigators themselves. One change since then does appear to be the inclusion of the 3rd class elevator which I don't recall seeing during the G&H tour or during my night escapades with my companions.

What makes you say the new operators love the G&H Tour and there will be no renovation of the pool anytime soon? Will you be going back to the ship soon? Despite the shortcomings of presentation and damage done to the ship, I personally can't wait to go back again. I hope to do so next year at some point, career permitting.

 

[Sean Hankins]

"Sorry about that Sean, I was assuming it'd be Julian."

lol. No worries. Those articles (on Ghosts & Legends and Shipwreck) were recently written following my visit this past summer.

"I wonder if you'd be up for using any of the photos I took on my trip last year."

I'd love to use some of the photos you took to update some of the articles. Particularly the ones you referenced about the fittings in storage.

"What makes you say the new operators love the G&H Tour and there will be no renovation of the pool anytime soon?"

There current subcontractor of 'Save the Queen', Hostmark Hospitality Group, had advertised that G&L would be revamped to make it better than ever and some of their employees on the ship echoed these statements when I was there. Hostmark however has made some positive steps: The ceilings in both the 1st Class Lounge and Smoking rooms have been restored as has the cracked mirror in the lounge. The kitchen equipment throughout the ship has been replaced, and the teak decking in the enclosed promenade is being restored.

"Will you be going back to the ship soon?"

I hope to go next summer. Perhaps we can meet up on the ship if you're able to make it.