Reminders of a wonderful cruise ship

[Neil Down, Southampton]

Many of you will never have heard of "Insideout South" on BBC South region.

But you might just like to catch tonight's programme on BBC iplayer when it is updated.

The last quarter of the programme is about a wonderful ship...... QE2 and it brought back so many memories for me of wonderful cruises we had on that ship.

I know that cruise ships have changed but for me QE2 was the epitome of what a cruise ship should be. ......Neil

[Old Sea Dog, Stockport]

Hi

Slightly off topic. I remember launch day - I was still at school - so I am far too young to have sailed her.

QE2 was not the name the West of Scotland wanted

Annie

I remember the choosing of her name Annie. The media were building it into an event and the bookies were offering odds on it. What an anticlimax when it was announced. We all felt deflated. Most thought the choice lacked imagination. Unfortunately we never got to sail on her. We were docked next to her in Lisbon when she was on her very last World cruise.

When Manchester City's new ground was going to be given a name, the city council asked for suggestions. I sent in my suggestion, the 'Commonwealth' stadium as it had hosted the 2002 Commonwealth games. What did they eventually come up with? The City of Manchester stadium

Cheers OSD

[George, Gateshead (3)]

They still do on Fred Olsen ships Neil. I am delighted that they do because my OH doesn't/won't dance. On long cruises especially, I have often enjoyed a spin around the dance floor with one of the dance hosts.

It's been about 5yrs. since we were with MSC but I remember they had a officers night where they had a book and they had to get six names of ladies they danced with, always thought that it was one of those things that made cruising so enjoyable. Unfortunately don't know if they still do it.

[Smith7]

Ida and I loved ballroom dancing and QE2 ballroom was so good. Every night after dinner we were whisking our way around that dance floor and just revelling in it. In those days they had Gentleman Hosts who would dance with the unaccompanied ladies, again that was special, we got to know quite a few of them but we found that gradually one by one they changed as many of them found a life partner.

They still do on Fred Olsen ships Neil. I am delighted that they do because my OH doesn't/won't dance. On long cruises especially, I have often enjoyed a spin around the dance floor with one of the dance hosts.

[Neil Down, Southampton]

We saw it Neil.

Unfortunately, we discovered cruising much later in life, so never sailed on QE2.

In your experience, are the other Cunard ships in any way similar?

We like the QM2 and will be trying QV and QE next year.

Malcolm's review is great and gives a lot of fine info.

It was our first cruise and we went on QE2 for a long weekend. We were in Mauritania class which was the lowest section with an inside cabin. Ida had bought it, she'd cruised a lot before, and ha d said, "If you don't like cruising I won't ask you again".

I loved it

The food, the service and the living, for want of a better word, was terrific and that was Mauritania. We progressed to Caronia Class on our next cruise and then to Princess Class after that and just loved every minute of it.

We were still working then so holidays were special and well earned.

QE2 was special and the specialness was all over the ship, the style, the decor, and the superb service everywhere you went on the ship. She had one section that could be improved and that was at the rear where the Yacht Club ended there was an open area and then up onto the stern. The renovations that someone mentioned included doing away with this void and changing the whole character of the rear.

Ida and I loved ballroom dancing and QE2 ballroom was so good. Every night after dinner we were whisking our way around that dance floor and just revelling in it. In those days they had Gentleman Hosts who would dance with the unaccompanied ladies, again that was special, we got to know quite a few of them but we found that gradually one by one they changed as many of them found a life partner.

Later when we were on Coronia, the ship not the class, we had some bad luck with our cabin floor cover to one foot with near boiling hot water. Ida had stepped out of bed into it and had scalded her feet very badly. The upside was, however, that from then on when we went on QE2 we were upgraded to Queen's Grill and were able to enjoy many cruises on her until she "went".

Memories aaaaaaahhhh. ....Neil

P.S. We have also enjoyed a night on Queen Mary in Los Angeles Never sailed on her though but she is worth the visit.

[Neil Down, Southampton]

[QUOTE=andyn, kensworth;814893]

Best thing I did getting out of London and moving here, never was much of a walker but now spend most weekends over the Downs and round the footpaths over the Chilterns. Using the phone app, 15 miles yesterday

Excuse me.....BUT .... we have never been walked over in our lives. ....Neil and Ida Down

[Val, Wolverhampton]

Isn't it 50 years today since she set sail?

[Smith7]

Thanks for the info and Photo Malcolm. It is always interesting to hear about old ships that no longer sail.

I made a point of visiting the old Queen Mary when I was at Long Beach 10 years ago. That was before I went on my first cruise.

[Val, Wolverhampton]

I love hearing about the QE2 and would loved to have sailed on her, so I will look out for the programme.

I like hearing about all Cunard/ White Star Line ships.

Only last week, my daughter bought some memorabilia from a Queen Elizabeth voyage in the early 50's, it was fascinating.

The lady seemed to have kept every little ticket and bit of information, including the bon voyage cards that had been sent to her and the original luggage labels.

We spent hours reading everything, it was fantastic. A ship with an interesting history and sad demise.

[Malcolm, Essex]

Unfortunately, we discovered cruising much later in life, so never sailed on QE2.

In your experience, are the other Cunard ships in any way similar?

I did a transatlantic on-board the QE2 towards the end of her career. Although she was still in excellent condition (she had many million pound refits) although I felt she was out of date. Things that cruisers now expect as standard - like reasonably spacious cabins, an atrium, a raked theatre and lots of balconies were missing.

The dilemma for Cunard was that much of the QE2's original décor was 1960's in style. This is not necessarily appreciated today - although some 'retro' has come back into fashion with some.

In some rooms Cunard had maintained the original 1960's style, in other rooms they had modernised it, creating a bit of a mish-mash. At the time, the standard cabins and dining experience were rather mediocre for quite a high fare paid, in my opinion.

I feel that the Queen Mary 2 is a superior ship is almost every way. She's twice as big and twice as stable.

The QM2 is a one-off, bespoke design. A modern 'ocean liner' designed for transatlantic crossings. Although some of the concepts like the 'Queens Room' and 'Grills' are similar to the QE2, the rooms/ship deign are very different.

The QV and QE are actually standard cruise ships (Carnival Vista class like P&O's Arcadia, and others) designed for cruising, not crossings, but have Ocean Liner style décor. They interiors were actually co-ordinated by Princess cruises American design team (the QM2 was co-ordinated by Brits).

For this reason, to me, the QV and QE have a bit of a 'American' feel of what an Ocean Liner should look like on the inside. I even see hints of Disney! However nobody else agrees with me.

The QE and QV are almost identical, but a very different design of ship to the QM2, but like the QM2, the room concepts and names are similar.

However many passengers like the slightly smaller (more intimate) feel of the QV and QE. However the word 'intimate' is probably an exaggeration, as they are around 90,000 gt - so hardly small.

I still prefer the Queen Mary 2!

[BigMac, Glasgow]

I inherited a "Galbraith's" plastic bag many years ago, which was amongst a whole load of different memorabilia (including some from a POW comp in the Second World War). Inside the bag, which I opened years later, were 3 Glasgow newspapers; the Glasgow Herald, The Evening Times and The Evening Citizen.

There newspapers were all special editions to mark the launch of the Q4. They even have "artists impressions" of what the ship might eventually look like, because even at launch the final design was not complete.

As we were to find out, the Q4 became the Queen Elizabeth the Second (not the QE2). Crafty Brenda!

Stewart

[Blondie, Oxford]

[QUOTE=andyn, kensworth;814893]

Best thing I did getting out of London and moving here, never was much of a walker but now spend most weekends over the Downs and round the footpaths over the Chilterns. Using the phone app, 15 miles yesterday

Quite a trek! You are supposed to walk 10,000 steps each day, not achieve the three day target in a single day, well done!! Yes, it's beautiful over the Downs, my son-in-law loved spending a day up there kite flying.

[andyn, Bucks]

[QUOTE=Blondie, Oxford;814889]

If you go on to BBCiplayer and type 'inside out' into the search bar, it should show you a list of all the regional programs, just pick south and you should be able to watch no matter where you are in the country.[/QUOTE

Thanks Andyn. Going off subject, my daughter used to live in Kensworth.

Best thing I did getting out of London and moving here, never was much of a walker but now spend most weekends over the Downs and round the footpaths over the Chilterns. Using the phone app, 15 miles yesterday

[annie, Glasgow]

Hi

Slightly off topic. I remember launch day - I was still at school - so I am far too young to have sailed her.

QE2 was not the name the West of Scotland wanted

Annie

[Blondie, Oxford]

BBC One - Inside Out South

Thanks TD, I shall view in the morning.