New Queen Elizabeth (III?)

[dhermann1]

The new Cunarder, Queen Elizabeth, (QE?) will be like a "Poirot set", full of Art Deco decoation. It will be a "mere" 90,000 tons.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/t...-liner-floated-for-first-time-in-Trieste.html

 

[Professor]

Oh boy!

I can't wait to see! About time ocean liners look good again...even if they are too damn big!

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Black tie only dinners...that'll last until the first wealthy tank-topped lout and thong-shod bimbo saunter aboard....

 

[BinkieBaumont]

Disney Does Deco?

 

[dhermann1]

I had the same reaction to those interiors. Well, the world of Art Deco is very vast. But really, if they wanted to emulate one ship interior from the Golden Age, it should have been the Ile de France, or maybe the Normandie. Ah, well.

 

[Shangas]

"I say, Jeeves, this is a bit of alright, wot?"
"You approve, sir?"
"I should dashed well think I do approve. When do you think you could book us a passage on this palace of pleasure and saunter off to New York for a few months? I daresay crossing the 'lantic on a ship like this would be something neither of us would want to miss, eh?"
"Indeed, sir. She certainly looks to be a most stylish and modern ship, equipped with all the conveniences and luxuries that her passengers could desire..."

I couldn't help myself... lol

 

[Professor]

Ugh...

That's bloody awful! *yucky*

 

[Tailor Tom]

Drawings aside, the "idea" of a grand Deco ship is terrific, the actual follow-through will undoubtedly come up short. Disney's ship will never achieve its' artists renderings simple due to huge quantities of people and their children.

Having been on some 35+ cruses, I have very little love for the huge floating, glitzy hotels that are currently sailing the waters. My favorite ships which I have personally experienced tend to come from the 1950's. Italian made and US built, must around 600-900 passengers. Most of them no longer in service, but all had "style" With coat and tie required (black tie 2 nights/week), people really worked their wardrobes with Linens for the day, proper poolside cover-ups, casual daywear for excursions, etc. And the rules were enforced.

I also got to spend some time on the Norway, she was a Grand old lady as well.

I really have no desire to be herded along with 3000-5000 other passengers into trying to make mediocrity into something grander.

 

[dhermann1]

My only 2 cruises were in 1962, on the 10,000 ton Greek Lines TSS Agamemnon, and in about 1983, on the 25,000 ton Brittanis (previously the Lurline). I couldn't agree more with what you say. But the QM2 still looks like a heck of a lot nicer way to cross the pond than any airplane today, and I would hope that would be true of this ship, as well.

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"The gracious 1948 built MV Stockholm, currently operates out of the Swan River Colony as a cruise ship renamed "Athena"

Originally named MS Stockholm, she was built in Sweden and at the time she was considered to be a rather small Trans-Atlantic liner at just 11,700-tons. She was not a very successful Atlantic liner, which was at first mostly due to the lack of stabilizers, which was eventually added later, but she was a known as being the “worst roller” on the North Atlantic. However, she did prove to be quite popular as a cruise ship with Americans, but sadly she was never a great financial success for the Swedish America Line. Eventually she was sold to East Germany to become a rather basic Trade Union cruise ship. She was sold again to become a refugee accommodation ship.

In 1994 an Italian company purchased this classic liner and they decided to strip her right down to her ice strengthened steel hull, and superstructure was completely rebuilt into a premium rated contemporary cruise ship and she was renamed; “Italia Prima.” Upon completion the now fully stabilised ship had been fitted with a large “Duck Tail” at her stern and she commenced cruising with great success!

http://www.classicintcruises.com

 

[dhermann1]

Ah, yes. This is the same Stockholm that collided with the Andrea Doria in 1956 and sent her to the bottom.

 

[Tiller]

For some reason this reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode Passage on the Lady Anne. It would be nice to see a rise of the great ocean liners of old, but in our modern age of speed over comfort will they actually return? I for one can only hope .

"A fourteen day trip is plenty fast enough! "

 

[Tailor Tom]

One of the most fascinating feature of the new Cunard ships is their propulsion system. The use of 4 "power pods" versus traditional propeller, shaft and rudder has been proven truly remarkable. But there was something about being on a real Steam Ship, and the shear power of those huge silky-smooth turbines.

 

[Stearmen]

I really have no desire to be herded along with 3000-5000 other passengers into trying to make mediocrity into something grander.

Funny, my dad sailed on the Queen Mary on October 9, 1943 with the 9th Air Force. There were some where between 10,000-15,000 other passengers. Buckets and helmets every where full of vomit, crap games in the passage ways, lousy food, bunks ever where, cold damp and scared! Now what were you saying about 3000-5000 passengers.

 

[LordBest]

Looks like 80s Art Deco Revival to my eye, still better than a ghastly modernist abomination. Damn you, Le Corbusier, damn you. Is it me, or does it have more of a Cunard line to it than the Queen Mary 2?

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Looking at the artist renderings above (all computer-generated graphics with shots of festive vacationers dropped in), all I can think is the ceilings look awfully low compared to most cruise ships. Perhaps that's in order to have more decks to cram more paying passengers into overpriced undersized accomodations perhaps? Over all, that dining room and bar / dance floor look awfully small as well. And look at the pool. I think a standard sized in-ground home swimming pool is larger. A couple hundred folks through there on a nice, sunny day, everyone slathering on oil and sunscreen, and you're going to have an inch or so of oily scum. Pitty the poor sole who has to scrub that out nightly...

 

[Tailor Tom]

Funny, my dad sailed on the Queen Mary on October 9, 1943 with the 9th Air Force. There were some where between 10,000-15,000 other passengers. Buckets and helmets every where full of vomit, crap games in the passage ways, lousy food, bunks ever where, cold damp and scared! Now what were you saying about 3000-5000 passengers.

That doesn't sound like the "fun ship" cruises they advertise at all.

Most ships were converted to troop carriers during the war. I have been on several ships built in the US during 1950's and learned some of their particulars. Due to the downturn of shipping at that time, these ships relied on Government subsidies to be built, and had to meet certain guidelines for possible conversion. This included adding extra bunks in each cabin, hanging from ceiling hooks, extra wide staircases and halls to handle troops with packs, etc. So that a normal 2 passenger cabin now had 6 bunks, the suites even more. They also had provisions for full medical needs, with complete operating rooms versus just a small clinicians office of today's ships. Ships that were designed for round the world cruises with 750 passengers could then accept 5000 troops. My father was on several similar troop ships, I don't recall the word "glamorous" ever cropping up in those conversations.

 

[Professor]

Bon Voyage

...my dad sailed on the Queen Mary on October 9, 1943 with the 9th Air Force. There were some where between 10,000-15,000 other passengers. Buckets and helmets every where full of vomit, crap games in the passage ways, lousy food, bunks ever where, cold damp and scared.

It never crossed my mind to compare the sacrifice of war with luxury cruising.

 

[dhermann1]

Actually, military life can be full of "joy" rides.

 

[Groupe G]

Don't knock Cunard till you try one. The Cunarders are the last true liners afloat - indeed, don't let the skipper catch you calling either QM2 or Vic a "cruise ship"! You may find yourself over the side!

I just this past Monday got off the Queen Mary II after 15 days. It was a wonderful voyage. I don't deny that the attire seen in the restaurants was sometimes distressing - I think I was one of four gentlemen who actually dressed for dinner in attire at which Jeeves wouldn't kick - but the standard was maintained. Most diners were dressed formally.

QM2 has plenty of vintage-y goodness, to my mind; plenty to at least evoke the day of her namesake.

And I'll second the engineering. Top of the line, indeed. In fact, on the way back to New York we were steaming through 18' seas with only the slightest pitch and roll. Catch one of those slab-bottomed scows the other lines - the real "cruise" lines - trying to take those seas; they'd turtle in fifteen minutes.

I won't sail on another line.

Regards,

Bob

Edited to add: In January 2011 - I believe the second weekend (the 13th?) - the three Queens will be in NYC Harbor together. Not to be missed!