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| Queen Elizabeth 2 |
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Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 sailed out of Southampton December 12 after her biennial overhaul and refit at the A&P dry dock. One thousand people worked to complete the refit work to specification and on schedule
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Cunard has invested more than 10 times the building cost of QE2, including a massive re-engineering in 1987 and a major interior redesign in 1994, to ensure she will remain the most prestigious ship in the world
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By December 1958 the question of a replacement for the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth had arisen. Originally the plan had been to build two new liners with the help of Government subsidies. A Government committee, under Lord Chandos, was set up to examine the economic viability of this. The result was that the Government provided a grant of £18 million towards the building of one 75,000 ton vessel, known as the 'Q3 Project', to be ready for service in 1966. There was opposition to the plan as more and more passengers were crossing the Atlantic by air and the operating costs of such large liners were rising and could not be offset by fare increases. In 1963 the scheme was altered to build a slightly smaller liner which could traverse the Panama and Suez canals and would primarily be used for cruising. The plan was agreed and the Government provided the loan. The contract for its building went to John Brown & Co. and the keel laying ceremony took place on 5 July 1965.
The delivery date for the Q3, as it had been codenamed, was May 1968. On 20 September the keel was launched by Queen Elizabeth II and the ship was named Queen Elizabeth 2. At this early stage four maiden voyages were scheduled for the ship. On 19 November the ship moved to drydock in Greenock before beginning trials. Due to continued technical problems the maiden voyage of the QE2, from Southampton to New York, did not take place until 2 May 1969. The first summer of service was highly profitable and Cunard were able to repay £2.5 million of the Government loan almost immediately. The first dramatic incident of the ship's career occurred in January 1971. Whilst cruising in the Caribbean it received an SOS call from the French liner Antilles. It had run aground near Mustique and leaking fuel oil had caught fire inside the ship. By the time the QE2 arrived the French ship was an inferno. The passengers had already been taken ashore to Mustique in the lifeboats. The passengers boarded the QE2, and two other French ships that had come to assist, during the night. The Antilles capsized and sank the next day and the passengers were landed in Barbados.
Whilst travelling from New York to Southampton, on 17 May 1972, the captain received a message that there was a bomb on board and that it was timed to go off during the voyage. A search by crew members proved fruitless so a bomb disposal unit was flown out and parachuted into the sea close to the ship. The incident turned out to be a hoax but the FBI succeeded in arresting the culprit. The bomb disposal team were awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct. By 1974 the cruising business had expanded and the QE2 was operating profitably. On 1 April that year, whilst on a cruise from New York to San Juan, a technical fault caused the propulsion machinery to shut down. The ship was disabled and it was not until 3 April that the Sea Venture, a Flagship Cruises vessel, arrived to assist. The passengers were transferred and tugs were hired to tow the QE2 back to Bermuda. Subsequent repairs meant that the Easter cruise had to be cancelled.
Over the next few years the QE2 reduced the amount of transatlantic crossings and took primarily to cruising. The outbreak of the Falklands War, on 2 April 1982, led to a change in the role of the QE2. On its return to Southampton, on 3 May, the ship was requisitioned by the Government for service as a troop transport. Conversion work began immediately with the addition of helicopter flight decks and a modern communications system. The 5th infantry brigade, comprising of the Scots and Welsh Guards and the Gurkhas, then boarded the ship and it set off for South Georgia on 12 May. It arrived on 27 May and disembarked the troops and then took on board the survivors of the HMS Ardent. It had become clear that the Argentineans were using air reconnaissance to try and locate the ship so it left the same day and headed north.
The QE2 returned to Southampton on 11 June and work began on restoring the ship for commercial service. Following its annual overhaul, in November 1983, the ship developed boiler problems which resulted in the cancellation of a cruise. The following year, in April, the ship suffered minor damage after colliding with a breakwater at Piraeus, in Greece, but repairs were carried out quickly. In October an electrical fire caused a complete loss of power and delayed the QE2 for two days. On its return to Southampton it was decided that diesel engines would have to be fitted to the ship in order to increase efficiency. This was done by Lloyd Werft at Bremerhaven and was expected to save the company £12 million a year in fuel costs. Nine diesel electric engines, new propellers and equipment to capture heat expelled by the engines were fitted. The passenger accommodation was also extensively improved. The work meant that the ship was out of service from November 1986 to April 1987. The QE2 then underwent trials in the North Sea and returned to commercial service. Despite being constantly in the eye of the world's press and the financial difficulties involved in running the ship it is still in service today. The QE2 is still successful and is the last of the great Cunarders built for the transatlantic service.
Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 sailed out of Southampton December 12, 1996 after her overhaul and refit at the A&P dry-dock. Over the previous three weeks, one thousand people worked to complete the refit work to specification and on schedule.
The $18-million contract included work in passenger areas and maintenance behind the scenes. Cunard had by now invested more than 10 times the building cost of QE2, including a massive re-engineering in 1987 and a major interior redesign in 1994, to ensure she would remain the most prestigious ship in the world.
This time, significant upgradings in passenger areas include the Princess Grill and the largest of the five restaurants, the Mauretania,. Other changes introduced included: The QE2's transatlantic crossing time was extended from five to six days. While on her transatlantic schedule, port arrival and departure times in Southampton and New York were changed to smooth passenger transfers between the ship and their homes. There were consistent arrival and departure times of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, respectively. There was a reduction in the number of transatlantic crossings in 1997, from 24 to 18, and an increase in the number of days spent on cruises from 120 days in 1996 to 148 days in 1997.
In 1999, following the purchase of Cunard by Carnival Corporation and the merger of Cunard and Seabourn, QE2 was again the recipient of a massive refurbishment. The refit took place at Lloyd Werft Shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany from Nov. 12 to Dec. 11, 1999. From the Grand Lounge and the Queens Room to the renowned restaurants and the Golden Lion Pub, there are new furnishings, draperies, carpeting and woodworking throughout the famous liner. In addition, QE2 added Harrods, the London-based luxury department store, to the shops of its Royal Promenade.
"The QE2 is our flagship vessel, she embodies the essence of British heritage and all that is Cunard," said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Cunard Line and Seabourn Cruise Line. "With more than 160 years of tradition it is important that we retain that all-but-vanished experience that defines luxury ocean travel. We are preserving a piece of history that is the foundation for what has become the explosive growth of the cruise market." 1999 Enhancements include:
QE2 Dining Areas
The Queens Grill received new furniture and new carpeting, upholstery and lighting, as well as etched glass doors and a completely new galley. In addition to the refurbished Queens Grill, all QE2 restaurants were renovated. The Britannia Grill welcomes new carpeting, curtains, blinds, and newly upholstered chairs. In addition, a new dining room layout provides ease and comfort for all diners. The Princess Grill boasts completely new carpeting, curtains and upholstered banquette seating, as well as rich leather finish on the bulkheads. Following a makeover, the Caronia Restaurant displays the elegance and luster of an English country house, with rich mahogany paneling, new table lighting, crystal chandeliers, carpeting, curtains and chairs, as well as a new stereo system. New etched-glass doors and a "rainfall" pattern air-conditioning system eliminating drafts are welcome additions to this grand room. Glass doors mark the forward entry to the Mauretania Restaurant, which also boasts new carpeting, chandeliers and furniture. New automatic glass doors provide easy access from the pool deck to the Lido Restaurant, which also reveals a new buffet facility and re-upholstered seating, and the Pavilion Café was refit with new upholstered seating.
Public Areas
Fresh carpeting and upholstery were added to many public areas including: the Chart Room, which also received a remodeled bar and new shutters; the Crystal Bar, which added a new canopy entrance to the Mauretania Restaurant; and the Quarter Deck and Upper Deck Promenades, which added intricately-detailed archways made of rich woods.
The Queens Room received major treatment, including all new furniture and new royal blue carpeting interwoven with gold Tudor roses. The walls were re-paneled in mahogany, and the famed bust of HM the Queen will be relocated to the most prominent position within the room.
The walls of the popular Golden Lion Pub received a new coat of paint, improved lighting, curtains, blinds and new upholstery. New hardwood flooring has also been incorporated into the area.
The Grand Lounge displays new carpets, chairs, stage curtains and a theatre-style balustrade, as well as a new audio system to enhance the enjoyment of performances.
The Board Room was completely refurbished, including new cabinets, lighting, furnishings, carpet, ceiling panels, and new bulkheads.
The Purser's Office was completely rebuilt and re-configured to relocate all communication facilities here. This area now incorporates a new guest Business Centre, Cashier's Desk, Communications Centre, Bank, Mail Room, the Baggage Master's Office and the Security Deposit Facility.
The Promenades on the Quarter and Upper Decks have new blue carpets, paneling and chairs. The Casino features new gaming tables, leather stools, carpets and new granite entrance way. Four Deck and Five Deck corridors and stairwells were re-carpeted and decorated with wall-coverings.
Other enhancements around the ship include refurbished public bathrooms; new classic, teak steamer chairs; a re-designed photo gallery; re-carpeted gymnasium, and new directional signage.
Suites and Cabins
Two new Grand Suites, category QS, were added. The Caledonia Suite (number 8200) is located on the port side of Boat Deck directly adjacent to and forward of the Queens Grill. This 575-square-foot suite features marble master and guest bathrooms, separate dining area and large picture windows. This suite is wheelchair accessible and offers ramped access to the Queens Grill. The Aquitania Suite (number 2149) is an expansive 777-square-foot suite located forward of the Midships Lobby on the starboard side of Two Deck. This suite offers marble master and guest bathrooms, a separate dining area and large feature windows.
Measuring a generous 770-square-feet, the Carinthia Suite is an enlarged and enhanced version of the previous Midships Suite (number 2151) on Two Deck adjacent to the Midships Lobby on the starboard side. This suite also has two marble baths, separate dining area and large windows. In addition, there are two new Princess Grill category cabins (numbers 2154 and 2153) on 2 Deck.
All suites and cabins have been refurbished with elegant décor including new carpeting, bedspreads, valances and draperies. New color schemes include tan and yellow in the Penthouse suites and Deluxe staterooms, burgundy in the staterooms on One and Two Decks, blue in the cabins on Three Deck, and burgundy in the staterooms on Four and Five Deck. All existing furnishings have been re-upholstered.