QE 2 The View From OnBoard Her Final Year

[Michael H. Standart]

Per John Clifford's suggestion, this thread is being started for those who take voyages on the QE2, and their impressions during her final year of passenger service.

Whatever your experiences, impressions, insights and photos, post it here!

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The BBC:

Three Queens meet in port
Vidio report at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7361940.stm

 

[Joe Russo]

Does anyone know why the QE2 has been in Southampton for almost 3 days now? Did they cancel a cruise? I've been looking at the bridge cam and it hasn't moved since the 21st.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

Joe, The QE2 is still in Southampton because Cunard is doing a refit on her.She will sail on her next cruise on April 27th.

 

[Joe Russo]

Why a refit at this point? Isn't that like rearranging deck chairs on the.... (I'm sure you all know that saying).

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I read it in cruisecritic.com that the QE2 is to have a refit during the layover time in Southampton.I think that it is only minor things that will done to the QE2 since she is leaving service next November.

 

[Michael H. Standart]

>>Why a refit at this point?<<

Because as long as a ship remains in service, she needs repairs, maintainance, upgrades and the like to keep on going. This isn't really a major refit. Just a brief availability to keep her shipshape.

 

[Joe Russo]

Makes sense, thanks.

 

[Kyle Johnstone]

Whatever they're doing, it's enough to have the Upper Deck aft of the Yacht Club tented in...
http://cunardqueens.fotopic.net/p49933337.html

We'll know soon enough...

 

[Michael H. Standart]

They may well be doing nothing more then refurbishment and repainting. The days when you could just spray it on without some means of containment are long gone. When my last ship went in for a 10 month drydocking/refit, they had the entire drydock covered over when the hull was stripped down and repainted.

 

[John Clifford]

The QE2 will be sailing for the next 7 months, so I can imagine that Cunard will not want passengers to complaining "Boy, did they let the ship 'go to pot'". Especially when Queen Elizabeth II is set to deliver her formal farewell in the next few weeks.


BTW, who is scheduled to be on which voyage??

I will be on the Mediterranean Sea Cruise, departing, from Southampton, on Tuesday, August 12th, and returning on Friday, August 22nd.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I found this on cruisecritic.com.This passenger was aboard the QE2 for the April 12th transatlantic crossing.On April 14th at the site in the North Atlantic where the Titanic foundered,Aboard the QE2 there was a memorial ceremony for the Titanic tragedy and this passenger took pictures.Here is the link to see the pictures http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=763715

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I have found these 2 videos from youtube.The videos are of the 3 Cunard Queens in Southampton last Tuesday April 22nd.Here are the links to the videos www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5FR9vqLVGw and www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Nw7GG-PKVs&NR=1

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I see they had the typical North Atlantic weather for the memorial service: Wet and chilly. At least they didn't have to contend with the often rough seas which tend to come with the deal.

 

[Jerry Nuovo]

I found this on Cunardcritic.co.uk.It is a link to a Fresno,California TV station news show that talks about the service life and retirement of the QE2 and retired Commodore Ronald Warwick and current QE2 captain,Captain David Perkins are interviewed.Here is the link www.kmph.com/Global/story.asp?S=8241435&nav=menu612_2_1

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From BYM:

UK. HM The Queen to visit the QE2 for the last time

quote:

The Queen will visit the QE2 in Southampton on Monday June 2nd 2008. This will be Her Majesty's final visit to the ship, which leaves the service of Cunard later this year.

Brief story at http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=26984

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From Ananova:

Royal farewell to legendary liner

quote:

The Queen will pay a farewell visit to the QE2 ahead of the Cunard liner's retirement from service.

Baroness Thatcher will be among 300 guests who will be with the Queen on the vessel which is docked at Southampton.

More at http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2875965.html

 

[Aidan Bowe]

Really is the end of an era. The farewells begin:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7431525.stm

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The Evening Standard:

The Queen bids a fond farewell to QE2 - the liner she christened in 1967

quote:

The Queen yesterday spent the 55th anniversary of her Coronation making a farewell visit to the ship which has sailed so proudly through most of her reign.

Touring the 70,000 tonne QE2 docked at Southampton, the Queen was making her last tour of the ship she launched on the Clyde in Scotland in September 1969.

Her tour included a huge slice of Britain's maritime history, as she met nine former captains of the vessel as well as some of the crew who sailed with the ship when it was requisitioned by the Navy as a troop ship in the Falklands war.

Full story with photos at
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/

 

[John Clifford]

For me, it is now less than a week before I fly to England; will spend the weekend in London, then head down to Southampton on the 11th, and will be able to board the QE2 around 2:15 PM, local time, on the 12th.

Quick question: who on ET is set to sail on one of the other upcoming voyages? I mean "cleared the wait list".

Three of my friends, who were with me on the Queen Mary 2's eastbound crossing, in September 2007, were recently cleared of the wait list for the October 16th "Farewell to America" Trans-Atlantic Crossing.