In article , Keith Willshaw
wrote:

"Olivers" wrote in message
...
randee muttered....

I suspect that both of you will find that the QM2 is a sheep in wolf's
clothing, no "ocean liner" at all but another big cruise ship, not
designed
for and incapable (at least comfortably) of the high speed Winter voyages
across the North Atlantic that were required of "liners" in TransAtlantic
service. I suspect she'll "cruise" out of Southhampton with a 14 day
schedule to FLL, until that niche in the market is exhausted and then be
used in the parent line's other cruising services, likely replacing a
present hull. Currently, there's rampant over capacity in the cruising
business (and no cal at all for traditional Transalantic service).


Spot on

Maiden Voyage - 14-Day Southampton to Fort Lauderdale
Ports of Call: Southampton, Funchal, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas,
Bridgetown, Charlotte Amalie, Fort Lauderdale
January 12, 2004

Inaugural Caribbean - 11-Day Roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, San Juan, Basseterre, Fort de France,
Bridgetown, Castries, Roseau, Charlotte Amalie
January 31, 2004


Passenger vessels are not measured by hull displacement (as are naval and
cargo vessels and tankers), but by a formula calculating enclosed space
above the water line, and all that slab sided tophamper of QM2, lightly
framed and constructed by traditional standards, would be likely to make
her both hard to handle and uncomfortable for passengers on a NA sked,
especially in the gale season. Comparing her profile with the old QM, the
OE("1") or the US, she has more sail area than an aircraft carrier and
could be counted on to fall off to Leeward at a good clip. I certainly
wouldn't want to try to dock her on the Hudson on a windy day without all
the tugs in NY harbor on hand (having once conned a carrier docking on the
West Side during a tug strike).


On the other hand she has 4 21.5 MW propulsion pods two of which are
steerable so that may make he a trifle easier to con.

Keith


Besides the Azipods, Im sure she has hydroaulic thrusters: bow,
midships and stern... she will rarely use tugs, "she" (no longer the
convention, PC run amuck) can rotate on her axis 360 degrees.

jay
Fri Jan 09, 2004