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LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review



 
 
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Old June 13th, 2008, 10:46 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Mark (SF)
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Posts: 349
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes. The deep blasts coming from the QM2 whistle
initially startled me. Her deep-throated sound, a copy of the original
Queen Mary, stirred something deep within my bones. Throughout the
week, the sound of that horn, (although, on some foggy nights in the
Commodore Lounge, I felt it as much as heard it ) linked me to the
proud heritage of Cunarders plying the North Atlantic.

This was a day to say farewell to a dear old friend, our beloved QE2.
Earlier that morning, we disembarked from our final cruise on her and
shortly thereafter, Queen Elizabeth came aboard to bid farewell to the
ship she had proudly christened over 40 years earlier.

I first glimpsed her unmistakable profile on a cruise to Hawaii in
1989. What a beauty. And her beautiful classic silhouette remains
mostly unchanged -- if only my own had stayed so shipshape (ouch!)
over the past 20 years. From the start, we were captured by her
spirit. On our first trip, much of the "jet age" formica and jarring
1967 colors still remained -- a far cry from the classic luxury liner
heritage one might expect and over the years, she underwent many
refits and remodels. Her dining rooms changed size, names, even
briefly swapped locations and her engines and propulsion system was
totally replaced, yet she still maintained that special allure and
grace that we experienced on first encounter and was always,
unmistakably "QE2." Truth be told, she has never really lived up to
her hype, yet it doesn’t matter -- she has been well-maintained, yet
something always felt a bit "tatty" to me. Perhaps that's part of what
made her so easy to love.

Seven days earlier, we boarded the QE2 in Civitavecchia, joining a
Mediterranean cruise en-route which had departed Southampton a few
days previous. This was to be our fourth and farewell voyage on her,
and our first cruise on the Med. A bit about us: we're a gay couple in
our 50s from San Francisco. These were our 19th and 20th cruises.
We've been on a wide variety of ships and cruises, but generally
prefer more traditional cruising. Before joining the QE2, we had spent
8 days in Spain (Madrid & Barcelona) and a too-short visit to Rome.

QE2 - EMBARCATION AND CABIN
We were READY for a return to familiar comforts on that day. We had
originally planned on spending the morning at the Vatican Museum, but
instead, I had spent hours sitting in a broken chair in a trailer at
Ciampino Airport as I waited for Italian customs to inspect suitcases
I had shipped in advance of the cruise. Lesson learned. Do NOT use zip
strips when shipping to Italy. Authorities will not cut them without
in-person permission of the owner. Our luggage shipping service had
given me an address where my bags were held (Customs was
characteristically circumspect on why they were holding them).
However, when my cab tried to get there, we were stopped by Italian
police with big guns, so he let me out. I think the Polizia were
trying to be helpful, but they only spoke Italian. They kept on
gesturing in one direction and indicating (I think) that I should walk
back down that road and then turn right. Did I mention that they had
very big guns? After turning right, and wandering near some locked
fences and trailers, I found a woman named Paola who took pity on me.
(She had come out of her company's trailer to feed some cats, and I
became another stray.) She spoke little English, but was able to call
the local folks at DHL (they were in an area inaccessible to me) --
and let me sit in the tipsy chair in her office as I waited and waited
for customs to open my bags so they could check out my tuxedos and
underwear. A couple of long cab rides later, we were on the dock ready
to board.

While we waited for someone at the Purser's Office to come out to
check us onboard, we had the pleasure of meeting Shannel, a lounge
waitress who was manning the water and juice station on the dock. She
was a true joy -- we visited her often in the Yacht Club bar. (Not
that we drink a lot but…) She had just transferred to the QE2 on this
voyage from the QM2. To her delight, she found out a few days later
that she was going back "home" to the QM2 on the same day we were due
to board -- so we saw her on that ship as well (She also spread the
word among the bar staff -- so from the start, we heard "Shannel told
us about you!")

We were quickly checked-in, greeted our cabin stewardess (who had
thought we missed the boat when we failed to board at Southampton) and
proceeded to race around the ship, reacquainting ourselves with her
quirks. Yes, the map in the Chart Room still says "Le Harve" the
little Princess Lounge on 1 Deck is open before dinner, and you still
use the funny curving staircase to get to Boat Deck from the Yacht
Club.

Our cabin was one of a handful of Caronia class rooms squeezed in
amongst the original first class cabins assigned to the Queens Grill.
(We had been fortunate to be upgraded to one of these on our Panama
Canal transit. They are HUGE with walk-in closets and bathrooms larger
than entire cabins on 5 Deck.) Our cabin was a bit old fashioned, with
portholes instead of windows and twin beds that can't be slid
together, but it was immensely comfortable, with original wood
paneling, ample closets and a large bathroom.

QE2 DINING
We ate in the single-seating, Caronia Dining Room. We shared a table
for six with two couples from the north of England who had not known
each other previously, but who got along famously. Just as they had
become used to being the only ones at the table set for six, we
appeared. No problem (I presume) -- it was a pleasure dining with them
and we had many wonderful conversations.

Food was uniformly excellent and service was flawless. We had dined in
the Queens Grill on our two previous trips -- in fact, when we had
last dined there, it had a different name (Columbia). I wondered if
the food in the "regular" dining rooms could compare. It did. Although
we could not order off-menu (the extra perk of dining in the grills)
-- the items on the standard menu were all tasty and perfectly
prepared. Each dinner listed choices for appetizer, soup (including my
favorite vacation indulgence - cold fruit soup), salad, entree and
dessert. (On the two-seating Britannia Dining Room on the QM2, the
first section combined the starters and soups, and was sadly lacking
the delicious chilled fruit varieties.) The menus seemed to be
somewhat more attuned to English passengers, since the ship has been
primarily marketed in the UK and there were only a handful of
Americans aboard. An additional advantage of having a single sitting
is that breakfast and lunches were also at our usual table with our
assigned waiters instead of open seating.

We enjoyed having a sommelier for our table. Not that we have exotic
tastes in wine, (in fact we often had only a single glass from the
"list at the back.") but we find a lot is lost when their trained
advice is replaced by a corporate recommendation published on the
menus (with associated kickbacks to the line)

QE2 ENTERTAINMENT, ACTIVITIES AND LECTURES
On board activities and entertainment was of the level one would
expect for a traditional line such as Cunard. There were numerous
lectures and presentations. One of the special guest lecturers was a
well-known (in the UK) author and police investigator. We did not
attend his lectures but was told that they were fascinating. There was
the usual bingo (reasonably priced) and napkin folding, but this is
not the line for wacky pool games.

Of particular note are the port lectures. Unlike other lines, where
these presentations only serve to direct you to stores on the
recommended (kickback) list -- these lectures highlighted the history
and attractions at the ports. We REALLY appreciated this -- and the
maps with the recommended shops were still included in the Daily
Programme, for those interested.

We noticed a definite upgrade in the production shows. To be frank,
these were never the highlight of the QE2 experience. First, off until
the mid-90s reconfiguration of the Grand Lounge there was no actual
stage, and the troupe always seemed talented and eager but with
limited resources. On this trip, not only did the (small) stage itself
look improved, Cunard has upgraded the entertainment itself. The shows
were interesting and the staging and talent was impressive (The
Russian dancing during the "a Passionata" show was not to be missed!).
The headliners were a mixed bag. We enjoyed a singer, Paul Emmanuel,
but a guy who "rocked out" while playing a harp strapped to his belly
was less impressive …we left during his Riverdance number.

QE2 - PORTS AND EXCURSIONS
Before boarding, we arranged a private tour in Rome with Through
Eternity Tours (www.througheternity.com). They matched us with an
amazing woman named Gracelyn, who seemingly knew everything about the
art and history of Rome, lived in San Francisco for a number of years
and had been living in Rome since the mid-90s. We spent about 8 hours
walking all over Rome, with a break at a wonderful spot for lunch.
This was a highlight of the entire vacation and I cannot imagine a
better way to see that beautiful city in a short time.

In short, she was astonishing. We hit it off immediately, the tour was
magnificent and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The downside of
this was that she set a standard that could not be matched for later
tours during excursions later on this trip.

The next day we saw Florence. About half of the time was spent riding
a bus back and forth to Florence from where we were docked in La
Spezia (substituted at the last minute from Livorno). A long day, a
hot day. A suggestion -- if you want to visit the Uffizi Gallery
(HIGHLY recommended) you will probably need to get advance tickets on
via the internet. Admittance was not included in most ship
excursions.

Next, we docked at Cannes. We took an excursion to Nice, Eze and Monte
Carlo. We loved walking through the market at Nice, and the elegant
beaux arts casino at Monte Carlo made us feel like James Bond (We DID
have martinis, but we'd never be shaken or stirred enough to order
them with vodka). The unexpected highlight of the excursion was the
charming mountain town of Eze - a village seemingly constructed of
steps, untouched for centuries.

The ship still travels magnificently, cruising along at over 30 knots.
In fact, the Commodore stressed that only she could travel from
Barcelona to Gibraltar in a day -- something that standard cruise
ships cannot. The downside of this was we had to leave Barcelona early
and we had to be back on board by 1:30 PM. We spent four days there
just a week before, so we had already seen the major sights further
north (Gaudied ourselves silly by touring Sagrada Familia and La
Pedrera, walked La Rambla, with diversions to the cathedral and the
Picasso Museum). Instead, we set aside some time to visit Montjuic,
the park on the hill near the port and ride the funicular to the Miro
museum. I must admit that still don't "get" Miro, but still enjoy his
work. Most delightful was seeing groups of young schoolchildren
captivated by his colorful, simple art. Afterward, we stopped for a
drink at a cafe under the trees back on La Rambla. While watching the
passing scene, our tablemates happened by with the disturbing news
that they had fallen victim to pickpockets. (Luckily, the losses were
not too bad) Yes, those warnings are true. It does happen. Use
caution.

In Gibraltar, we walked to the tram that runs to the top of the rock
and enjoyed the monkey business of the barbary apes living there. Just
as we arrived at the top, it started drizzling - quickly turning to
rain. No matter -- we were ready to get back to the ship and were
looking forward to our first sea days. Good thing, because between the
remainder of this cruise and the crossing, we had eight of them ahead
of us.

I'm not going to dig out our Daily Programmes to figure out EXACTLY
what we did those last two days at sea, but I know it involved:
eating, having a drink, bingo, having a drink, shopping for souvenirs,
eating, having a drink, lecture, napkin folding, having a drink,
playing trivia, drinking tea, dressing for dinner, having a drink
before dinner, actually eating dinner, having a drink after dinner,
seeing the show and then having a nightcap. ….I actually claim that
the motion of the ship makes me sleep well, but my bar tab may hold a
different explanation…

QM2 TRANSFER AND CHECK-IN
I had been a bit worried about what would happen on the day we were to
check out of the QE2 and board the QM2 -- especially since they were
at different wharves a couple of miles from another. There was no
information available in advance. Worldwide port logistics and details
have always been one of Cunard's strengths and I remembered the "White
Star Service" signs throughout the ship, so I hoped for the best. A
few days before arrival, I got instructions from the excursions
office. There were only three of us transferring between ships. They
arranged cabs for us and helped us load up. As we were waiting, we saw
a number of guests arriving for lunch with the Queen (big cars, nice
suits and silly hats).

We arrived at the Mayflower Docks a bit before they were ready to
accept boarding passengers and had to wait outside for about a half
hour. We were among the first group processed and ultimately were on
board within an hour. It was all basically painless.

My jaw dropped once we came aboard the QM2. She is a stunner.
Gorgeous. We entered on Three Deck. Especially impressive is that this
deck is so tall -- ceilings are almost twice as high as on a normal
ship. In fact, the two main public decks occupy the space normally
taken by three. Upon boarding, you are confronted with a grand atrium
with lots of marble, white plasterwork and (SOLAS-approved) wood. On
these two decks are the shops (from essentials to extravagances), most
of the bars, an extensively appointed showroom, the amazing Britannia
Restaurant, the Queens Room ballroom, the planetarium, the G32
nightclub, Pursers Desk, excursions and cruise sales, a computer
center, multiple classrooms, and photo and "art" galleries. …and there
are 10 other decks!

QM2 CABINS
We had a standard B3 cabin midships on Deck 4. Like most modern ships,
all the basic cabins are prefab and identical -- differing only in
location. On this ship, there are two kinds of balconies -- the ones
on the lower decks (4-6) are cut into the hull and the ones on decks
8-12 are attached to the sides. Especially on a crossing, their extra
shelter was appreciated, and as a fellow passenger, Tom Kanitra from
the rec.travel.cruises newsgroup, observed -- when we look down, we
see the sea. When the upper deck balconies look down, they see
lifeboats.

The cabin was nicely appointed with a great mattress and bedding,
ample storage, and a decent bathroom with a good size shower. The beds
combined to make a king and there was a little couch and desk with a
20 inch TV.

I have a major objection to their television programming. Not the
"Good Morning with Ray" show in the morning (it was fine), nor to the
wide variety of free movies shown on multiple channels (a welcome
change from some other lines). No. I objected to their choice for the
one, single source for broadcast news for most of the voyage. Fox
News. In my opinion, such a highly-partisan channel is a poor choice
for this ship. Even if one accepts the argument that it's a necessary
counterbalance to a perceived liberal bias of other networks, it
follows that "the other side" should also be represented in order to
be fair and balanced. Fundamentally, I would argue that an operation
that describes itself as "America's News Channel" has an inappropriate
focus for an international ship. (This sailing had large numbers of
Brits, Germans and French passengers.) I'm aware that as the ship
makes its voyage, different satellites come in range, so the choices
may be limited -- but I find it hard to believe that BBC Worldwide,
CNN International (or even Murdoch's Sky News International) were not
available.

QM2 DINING
The main dining room, The Britannia Restaurant is spectacular. It has
tiered seating over two decks on three levels with a grand staircase
at one end and a dramatic tapestry of the Queen Mary opposite. It is
simply the most beautiful dining room at sea. (Sorry -- no argument.
It's an irrefutable fact!) There are two seatings, aside from a small
section called "Britannia Club" with a single seating. We had a table
for two in a wonderful location on the main floor. When the ship was
launched, there were a lot of problems getting dinner service up to
expectations. (They feed over 2000 passengers in the limited time
available for two seatings -- and unlike the cookie cutter operations
on large lines with similar ships, this was all new), Based upon other
passengers' comments, I'd say that they've basically got it down.
However, given our experience, they aren’t completely there yet.

Our service was merely okay -- on a par with what we've experienced on
Princess or NCL -- but not what they proclaim as "White Star Service."
Most meals had an unexplained pause at some point for twenty minutes
or more. (On a couple of occasions, the waiter notified us of the
problem which we appreciated) More often than not at some point, we
missed being offered something (ground pepper, horseradish or other
accompaniment, or the tray of chocolates and candied ginger at the
end) and refills on water or coffee were often neglected. I believe
the problem in our case was a new assistant waiter. However, if the
operation has such little tolerance for a glitch like a rookie
employee, I think they might need to revisit their staffing
calculations. Not a real problem, but an area which might use further
refinement.

The food was excellent. No problems for any of the dishes. All were
tasty and prepared as ordered. As previously mentioned, I missed
seeing more chilled fruit soups. I also enjoyed the fruit sorbets on
the QE2 and would have liked seeing them appear more often as dessert
options. Although I found something to enjoy at each dinner, I was
surprised not to see an "always available" selection of items
published on the menu. (Later I found out from another passenger that
their waiter told them of an unpublished list, but such items took
extra time. Why it’s a secret and why our servers never shared it with
us, I have no idea.)

We also ate at the premium restaurant, Todd English (reservations
required, $30 surcharge). It was a wonderful experience. The food was
truly special, the service was impeccable and the room was beautiful.
I ordered the beef tenderloin -- it was delicious and the portion was
more than ample …as was I afterwards!

Cunard celebrates tradition. This includes things like traditional
dining with assigned seating, which we appreciate. It allows waiters
to learn your preferences, and avoids the repetitive "who are you, is
this your first cruise, where are you from?" drill when seated with
strangers during open seating. Their embrace of tradition also applies
to dress code. If you object to dressing up, this is not the line for
you. There are three dress codes, which are more stringent than most
other lines. Most evenings at sea are formal, which means tuxedos
(worn by the majority of men) or suit and tie, Next comes semi-formal,
for which both jacket and tie are required and finally elegant casual
which means jacket required, tie optional. Obviously, women's dress
requirements are similar. Casual dress is allowed at dinner in the
Kings Court dining areas.

The Kings Court buffet is an interesting experiment. Like on many
recent ships, there are different areas for different types of items,
which limits long, meandering lines and offers more variety. On the
QM2, the buffet is broken up into four different sections which can be
quite distant from one another, and can result in a nomadic buffet of
passengers clutching their trays, searching for that last item they
saw -- somewhere. During breakfast, there were multiple omelette
stations with no waiting (a first!). At night, they partition the
areas to provide separate rooms for Italian, Asian, and a
demonstration kitchen, Chef's Galley. We didn't try them, but were
told that the Chefs Galley experience is fun.

Another great dining experience is the Golden Lion Pub lunch. They
serve traditional pub grub like a plowman's lunch, cottage pie and
fish & chips. Perfect with a pint!

QM2 ACTIVITIES AND PUBLIC ROOMS
How many ships have a planetarium? This one does! There are a wide
variety of public areas and activities to fill them throughout the day
and night. This is especially important on a crossing where every day
is an 'at sea" day. About that planetarium. It really is impressive.
It's housed in a room with steeply raked seating which is also used
for lectures and movies. (The planetarium dome drops down from the
ceiling when used for that purpose.) The half hour shows are licensed
from the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History
in New York. Let me tell you, the motion of the ship adds a virtual
reality aspect to the experience when the show has you swooping around
the universe! One caution, it's really, really easy to fall asleep.
The shows are scheduled for that drowsy time an hour or two after
lunch, and once you tilt your chair back and they turn the lights down
-- well, it's almost inevitable.

Lectures were presented mainly in the Planetarium or the large, two-
deck showroom. On this trip, we were lucky to have John Maxtone-
Graham, naval historian, author of many books including "The Only Way
to Cross." I have perhaps never seen more accomplished and
entertaining presentations than his lectures. If you are lucky enough
to cruise on ship featuring his lectures DO NOT MISS THEM. His lecture
on the Titanic was spellbinding and even his final presentation which
consisted of skits presented with his wife, which was by far his
weakest, was worthwhile if only while he was giving a brief biography
to hear him mention (in his sonorous upper-crusty accent ) one of his
son's endeavors, a show called "Beevis and Butthead."

On the other end of the ship is the beautiful Queens Room. If any one
room exemplifies the QM2 it would be this large ballroom. It has a
stage with a rounded bandshell proscenium which for some may recall
the Radio City Music Hall. Ensconced therein is the twelve piece
Queens Room Orchestra which plays dance music for the many couples who
fill the immense dance floor. (Not me - "Dancing with the Stars" would
be more aptly named "Stumbling with a Klutz") The two chandeliers and
beautiful furnishings make this a very elegant room. One evening we
enjoyed hearing the large orchestra play a program of big band music
and watching the older couples in formal wear do swing dancing like
when it was new. Formal tea was served in this room each afternoon by
white-gloved attendants. (Yum!)

Most evenings we stopped by the cozy and beautiful Commodore Club.
Located forward of the suites on Deck 9, this forward-facing lookout
bar is defined by the graceful curves of the front of the ship beneath
the bridge. A classy room, it's just the place for a martini before
dinner and a drink after.

Each afternoon, the ship hosted a meeting there for "Friends of
Dorothy" (an old-school euphemism for "gay") About two dozen friends
showed up each day -- and the get-together was a great preamble to
trivia contests down in the pub. Our winning team's name was the
"Dorothys."

Besides offering lunch, the pub was bustling day and night also
featuring pub trivia contests and the like. The lovely Shannel handled
the crowds there with warmth and style.

Across from the pub was the casino with a wide variety of tables and
slot machines, I was pleased to see that the table limits for
Blackjack were reasonable. My only problem was the so-called "Fun 21"
table which offers a simplified version of 21 with decreased odds.
Both on the QE2 and the QM2, this table was usually empty, as people
crowded the others offering traditional rules. Perhaps Cunard should
pay attention -- their passengers probably aren't the Fun 21 type.
(Surprising to see this. Carnival has a subsidiary which concessions
the casinos for all their lines and they aren't exactly known for
"leaving money on the table.")

On a more uplifting note, is the extensive library and bookshop
located directly beneath the Commodore Club. Besides a large
collection of books (maintained by a professional librarian) -- there
are computer terminals and lots of comfy chairs where you can curl up
and gaze at the sea from a spectacular vantage point.

THE TRANSATLANTIC EXPERIENCE
Yes, the ship is beautiful, the food excellent, the activities diverse
and the service exquisite -- but there's something special about a
crossing. Most specifically, there's something extraordinary about the
Queen Mary 2 when she's as she's racing across the North Atlantic,
doing exactly what she was designed to do. She is the latest, and soon
to be the only representative of a proud tradition. That heritage sets
her apart. I can't describe how or why I felt it from the moment I
stepped aboard, but she's inescapably part of that long line of
glorious liners and she quickly seduced me with the romance of those
who had crossed before me.

She rides the North Atlantic like a champ. Her strengthened hull and
distinctive bow cut through the most daunting waves, and her extra
size really makes a difference as well. On our second day out, the
seas were at least twenty feet, and I heard some guessing thirty. Yet,
she handled them with ease. Yes there was a bit of motion -- but far
less than a standard cruise ship might encounter in normal Caribbean
seas. The dramatic wings at the front of the ship (with the rakish
black stripes) and a similar barrier aft provide shelter for the upper
balconies as she speeds along at thirty knots or more. Yes, her bow is
beautiful and her look dramatic -- but most importantly, it's all
there for a reason. The ship is an amalgam of the 21st century
technology and experience going back to the 19th.

Yes, I was sad when I said goodbye to my beloved QE2, and indeed my
eyes are getting moist as I write this, but thanks to Stephen Payne,
her architect, Commodore Warwick, her first master, Mickey Arison the
CEO of Carnival who championed her and countless others (some of whom
tragically lost family at the shipyard in St. Nazare) -- there is a
proud new ship to carry on the tradition and I have a new, special
place in my heart for my "beloved QM2."
  #2  
Old June 14th, 2008, 03:46 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Tom K
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,578
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review


"Mark (SF)" wrote in message
...
As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes. snip


Great review Mark... very different from mine (I'm the engineer sort... so
that's the perspective I give).

And, remember that John said taht his other son works on "The Simpsons".

--Tom


  #3  
Old June 15th, 2008, 11:34 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Brian K[_2_]
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Posts: 1,329
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

On 6/13/2008 10:46 PM Tom K plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and said:
"Mark (SF)" wrote in message
...

As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes. snip


Great review Mark... very different from mine (I'm the engineer sort... so
that's the perspective I give).

And, remember that John said taht his other son works on "The Simpsons".

--Tom

Maybe I am confused. I recall that the ship designers of the QM 2
installed the ship's whistle from the Queen Mary into the QM 2. I think
it was either Discovery Channel or Nat Geo where I saw this info.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951
  #4  
Old June 16th, 2008, 12:22 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

In article , Brian K
wrote:

Maybe I am confused. I recall that the ship designers of the QM 2
installed the ship's whistle from the Queen Mary into the QM 2. I think
it was either Discovery Channel or Nat Geo where I saw this info.


As I understand, one of the QM2's three whistles, is a whistle from the
Queen Mary. Which also had three whistles.

--
Charles
  #5  
Old June 16th, 2008, 12:24 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Joseph Coulter[_3_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 307
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

Brian K wrote in
:

On 6/13/2008 10:46 PM Tom K plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and
said:
"Mark (SF)" wrote in message
news:0ec30959-1ee1-4a82-b0c7-320302482ad8

@n19g2000prg.googlegroups.com
...

As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes. snip


Great review Mark... very different from mine (I'm the engineer
sort... so that's the perspective I give).

And, remember that John said taht his other son works on "The
Simpsons".

--Tom

Maybe I am confused. I recall that the ship designers of the QM 2
installed the ship's whistle from the Queen Mary into the QM 2. I
think it was either Discovery Channel or Nat Geo where I saw this
info.


That is the lore aboard ship as well. The whistle is from the original.

--
Joseph Coulter, cruises and vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

877 832 2021
904 631 8863 cell


  #6  
Old June 16th, 2008, 02:08 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Warren[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 476
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

On Jun 13, 5:46*pm, "Mark (SF)" wrote:
As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes.


Wonderful travelogue, Mark! It's a "page turner" and probably the best
review posted to the newsgroup in recent memory. You didn't just
catalogue the ships' features, you took us on a journey that began two
decades ago.

Bravo!

Warren
  #7  
Old June 16th, 2008, 03:15 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
barbara h davis
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Posts: 11
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

thank you

  #8  
Old June 16th, 2008, 04:18 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Mark (SF)
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Posts: 349
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

I did more research and you are correct. One of the original three
whistles from the Queen Mary is on the QM2 (starboard) - as well as a
copy.
Evidently, I had recalled the process of surveying the original to
make the copy while forgetting that they retained the original (I had
thought they returned it).

Mark

On Jun 15, 3:34 pm, Brian K wrote:
On 6/13/2008 10:46 PM Tom K plucked Senior Frog's Magic Twanger and said: "Mark (SF)" wrote in message
...


As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes. snip


Great review Mark... very different from mine (I'm the engineer sort... so
that's the perspective I give).


And, remember that John said taht his other son works on "The Simpsons".


--Tom


Maybe I am confused. I recall that the ship designers of the QM 2
installed the ship's whistle from the Queen Mary into the QM 2. I think
it was either Discovery Channel or Nat Geo where I saw this info.

--
________
To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address.
Brian M. Kochera
"Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!"
View My Web Page:http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951


  #9  
Old June 16th, 2008, 09:24 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Ermalee
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Posts: 237
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

Warren wrote:
On Jun 13, 5:46 pm, "Mark (SF)" wrote:

As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes.



Wonderful travelogue, Mark! It's a "page turner" and probably the best
review posted to the newsgroup in recent memory. You didn't just
catalogue the ships' features, you took us on a journey that began two
decades ago.

Bravo!

Warren


Amd BRAVO! over and over again, Mark. I enjoyed my trip into yesteryear.
Thanks,
Ermalee ---was on the QM2 a couple of weeks ago
  #10  
Old June 16th, 2008, 10:07 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Mark (SF)
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Posts: 349
Default LONG LIVE THE QUEEN - A LONG Cruise Review

Thanks Erm and Warren (et al).
Warren, it was your Norway review that inspired me.

Mark

On Jun 16, 1:24 pm, Ermalee Ermalee wrote:
Warren wrote:
On Jun 13, 5:46 pm, "Mark (SF)" wrote:


As the mighty Queen Mary 2 passed her smaller predecessor, the
graceful Queen Elizabeth 2 at Southampton, the two ships exchanged a
volley of salutes.


Wonderful travelogue, Mark! It's a "page turner" and probably the best
review posted to the newsgroup in recent memory. You didn't just
catalogue the ships' features, you took us on a journey that began two
decades ago.


Bravo!


Warren


Amd BRAVO! over and over again, Mark. I enjoyed my trip into yesteryear.
Thanks,
Ermalee ---was on the QM2 a couple of weeks ago


 




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