I am writing this as late as possible this week to get you all the latest news from Queen Victoria. However I am sat in the Golden Lion Pub with the Radio 2 team (I’m such a name dropper!),enjoying traditional fish and chips whilst watching the emotional arrival of QE2 in Dubai on the news. I apologise I haven’t been able to get you much news yet from the farewell voyage but I promise I soon will. I did receive a message this morning from Carol Marlow saying that everything had gone well and QE2 was, at the time, being escorted by H.M.S. Lancaster, Royal Yacht Dubai as well a flotilla of other ships and yachts on her final approaches. Her arrival was amazing and I did go to Queen Victoria’s Internet Centre and watch on the link to the QE2 Bridge cam. (Thanks Chris for posting that idea). What a great reception she had and yet again it shows what a legendary and much loved ship she is and I know we will all watch with keen interest as she embarks on her new life in Dubai. You can’t help thinking what is going through guests’ minds today as they disembark and for the crew leaving her for the final time tomorrow. We’ll do our best to get you some reports soon. Meanwhile Queen Mary 2 has arrived in Fort Lauderdale for her brief Caribbean season before beginning her second World Cruise in January.

 

Before I bring you up to date with what’s been happening on Queen Victoria over the last few days – here is our weekly look at this week in Cunard’s history for the week 21^st to 27^th of November

 

November 21 1787

Samuel Cunard is born in Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

November 22 1955

Sylvania II  is launched at John Brown Yard at Clydebank, and along with the Carinthia III they become the last liners to be built purely for the North Atlantic market. She eventually becomes the last Canadian emigrant ship

 

November 24 1967

Cunard’s first cruise ship, the RMS Caronia II, comes to Southampton for the last time after a distinguished career.

 

November 26 1968

QE2 leaves Greenock, Scotland for her first set of sea trials

 

November 26 2007

Cunard accepts delivery of Queen Victoria

 

November 27 1920

Samaria II is launched

 

 

Meanwhile back to Queen Victoria…………..

 

You’ll know from my last Blog on Monday that we have a host of guests from BBC Radio 2 on board as part of the TOGS voyage. On Sunday we were joined by Canon Roger Royle, Janet & John Marsh and the voice of BBC’s National Lottery Balls: Alan Dedicoat.  It’s been a very busy few days for our Radio 2 personalities as we got them to work. Firstly they have spent a few hours each day helping to man the hospitality desk and having their photos taken as well as signing CD’s and frankly anything that has been put in front of them. On Monday night the Golden Lion Pub was packed to the rafters in anticipation of Canon Roger Royle’s “Loose Canon Karaoke” and guests and TOGS were never going to be disappointed although at times they were surprised.

 

 

I have never heard karaoke begin with a rendition of “All Things Bright and Beautiful” but this, we soon discovered, was going to be karaoke with a difference. John “Boggy” Marsh and his wife Janet were enrolled to assist, with John on the piano and Janet providing vocals. Not wishing to miss out on the excitement Alan “Voice of the balls” Dedicoat had been ashore in Alexandria, not to see the sights, but to purchase props. He joined Roger Royle and Kell (from the TOGS hospitality desk), in their version of the Sand Dance. It’s impossible to describe the performance but put it like this; I don’t think “Strictly Come Dancing” will be offering them a place in the next series!

 

 

Roger did an amazing job entertaining an eager audience who clearly loved the evening taking away a multitude of unforgettable memories. The next morning over 400 guests came to see Alan Dedicoat in his lecture “The Best of British”. It could easily have been called “Broadcasters’ Worst Nightmares” as he played out takes from the BBC archives which illustrated how difficult the job can be. Of course like all professionals, broadcasters can make the job seem effortless, but we soon gained a whole new level of respect for these very talented individuals.  Not only was it very entertaining but it provided an amazing insight in to the workings of the BBC. I know one of my challenges as an Entertainment Director is making sure I pronounce people’s names correctly. The BBC are one ahead of the game  on that one with a Pronunciation Unit who work busily in Bush House in London, ensuring all the broadcasters get the most accurate information – not that all that preparation always worked – as we found out. We also discovered some of the tricks of the trade used by both broadcasters and interviewees. For example did you know that politicians like to be interviewed at five to eight in the morning so they know the interview will be stopped in time for the eight o’clock news, thus curtailing the possibility of suffering from foot in mouth disease!

 

We also gained a little insight in to what is actually going on in the studio when Sir Terry broadcasts and yes it seems they are all having as much fun as it sounds like. Food apparently plays quite a big part in the daily shows with one of the highlights being “Snorkers Week” (or National Sausage week to you and me), where the team all vie for a spot on the show which involves tastings, and you guessed it a lot more fun.

 

On the same afternoon Alan hosted The “Deadly Pub Quiz” (oh yes our TOGS got good value from Alan – but he was worth it!). The event actually took place in the Queens Room as the number of teams amounted to 42. Alan Dedicoat was, as you would expect very entertaining and did a superb job despite the banter coming from Canon Roger Royle around the room.  I must admit hearing the voice that normally says “Drop Those Big Money Balls”, asking us what colour a Purple Finch is, was a bit surreal.

 

 

It was a great success and our team came fourth – thanks to Barty and Judy who were my team mates. And no I didn’t have a preview of the questions – Alan couldn’t be bribed despite my offers of donations to Children in Need! Congratulations go to the victorious (pun intended!)“Seagulls Team” of Evelyn, David, Clare and 94 year old Betty.

 

 

When Alan heard about Lynn Bowles ringing the ships bell – he simply had to have a go and not be out shone by Lynn. Fortunately there was a sea day so he was joined by Canon Roger Royle, Janet and John Marsh for another photo opportunity with Pudsey getting in on the act as well. After another busy morning at the Hospitality Desk we arrived in Malta and said good bye to Alan Dedicoat who had to get back for his National Lottery broadcast that evening. Later in the afternoon it was a real pleasure to welcome Sir Terry Wogan himself and in my next Blog I’ll tell you all about “An Audience with Sir Terry Wogan and of course the live broadcasts from Queen Victoria’s Commodore Club. Don’t forget to tune in to BBC Radio 2 on Thursday 27^th and Friday 28^th November between 7:30am to 9:30am (on your radio and on line).I have a feeling there’ll be lots to tell you about including an interview with Sir Terry.

Firstly thank you for all your feedback about the QE2 Farewell from Southampton and especially to Andy for all his links. We are hoping to get you some news from QE2 as she approaches Dubai in a few days, with pictures and video from the legendary voyage. When she arrives in Dubai most of the crew will be leaving the next day and I’m happy to report that after a well deserved rest you’ll see most of them on either Queen Victoria or Queen Mary 2 and indeed Queen Elizabeth when she enters service in 2010. I am aware that Captain McNaught and Thomas Quinones (who many of you will know for his brilliant heritage trail on QE2) are planned to be joining us on Queen Victoria in the spring along with many other familiar faces. Talking of familiar faces it was interesting to hear that my fellow Entertainment Director has been recognised as a “Bradley Walsh” lookalike. It made me think we could do a ship’s crew lookalike competition on this blog, so if you have any ideas we’ll start a gallery! Thanks Anne for the idea – keep them coming.

 

 

Meanwhile back to Queen Victoria…………..

 

During the TOGS voyage we have managed to persuade many Radio 2 personalities to take a few days away from the BBC studios in London, to join us for a few during the voyage . We said goodbye to Charles Nove in Istanbul but were joined by Lynn Bowles. Lynn is best known for her traffic reports on the Radio from very early in the morning right up until Noon, looking after the reports for three DJ’s (Sarah Kennedy, Terry Wogan and Ken Bruce). Having never been on a ship like this before, on joining she exclaimed she was stunned by the ship’s beauty and facilities.

 

Lynn loved her time on board and was amazed by the amount of activities on offer, especially on the sea day after Kusadasi. She said she rather liked the idea of combining two activities on board – Fruit Carving and Fencing. Although we all agreed this would have been quite an interesting spectator sport, we decided instead to try something new – “Bowling with Bowles”. This was actually a first, where we invited guests to join the Entertainment Staff in the Golden Lion Pub for a virtual game of 10 pin bowling on the Nintendo Wii. It was a huge success with over 40 people entering and even more watching Lynn and fellow guests’ battle with technology. It takes a little while to get used to (and one or two never did quite get it!), but when they did, it seemed quite addictive and very entertaining for all concerned.

 

 

Each day we have been hosting a TOGS hospitality desk as a way for TOGS to get together and meet our Radio 2 personalities. One visitor to the desk was the ship’s Security Officer Andy Holloway who invited Lynn to ring the noon bell in the Grand Lobby. In fact I think Andy really came down to the desk to buy a Pudsey bear, but Lynne was delighted with the offer. This is a long standing tradition where on days when the ship is at sea, the ship’s bell is rung to mark noon.

 

 

 

That night we invited Lynn to join a few of us in one of the Royal Court Theatre’s private boxes to watch the signature show Victoriana. She couldn’t resist a regal wave just before the show began and was quite surprised to see how many of the audience returned the compliment! Again she couldn’t help showing her enthusiasm for the Theatre, the show and the ship generally. I think we definitely have a convert here and I don’t think it will take much effort to convince her to come back!

 

The next day was Port Said which greeted us with a superb warm day – just in the 80’s, sunny and perfect. It was certainly a highlight for all our guests as they headed off to The Pyramids, the Nile, Cairo and the Sphinx. Although it’s a long day it’s one of amazing memories – I think there were only a handful of guests left on board who wasted no time in getting up on deck to relax by the pool and get a little bit of colour. Matt & I also stayed on board as we said good bye to Lynn Bowles and awaited new Radio 2 personalities to join us. It wasn’t long before we heard the contagious laugh of Canon Roger Royle, Janet & John Marsh and the voice of the Lottery Balls: Alan Dedicoat. After a late night in the Commodore Club singing along with Barrrington Barty Brown we realised the pace of things was picking up. There’ll be a host of new TOGS activities for me to report from so watch this space if you want to see what happens at Loose Canon Karaoke and the Deadly Pub Quiz. We’ve been told to prepare ourselves for……….. well, log back on Thursday and we’ll tell you everything.

Before I tell you about the first few days of this wonderful voyage, I’ll cover some other news.

 

Firstly I am pleased to announce this site has been rated with 4 stars by the “Best Blogs At Sea” website. So my thanks go to you our readers for your part, and for those who support me in filing these blogs. This is a great site of fellow ship bloggers which I think you’ll find very interesting. www.bestblogsatsea.com.

 

It was great to read your comments again last week as well your questions which I’ll now do my best to answer Firstly in answer to Anthony Gaiani Jr’s question regarding the Queen Elizabeth and her progress, I’m afraid I don’t have anything to tell you at the moment, but I am looking into getting you some news very soon on her progress. However I do understand she is still on schedule for her launch in the autumn of 2010 and can assure ‘We Are Cunard’ bloggers will be amongst the first to know anything.

 

Thanks you as well to Steve Pedersen for his question about the glass panel on the floor of the bridge wings on both Queen Mary 2 and on Queen Victoria. If you are not aware of these panels, thanks to Scott Cameron, I have a photograph of one from the Queen Victoria.

 

 

The panels are located on each bridge wing and are made of toughened glass. Contrary to rumour they are not trap doors used to eject unwelcome guests, but an added aid to assist in docking the ship. Fully enclosed bridge wings were introduced to many ships in the late 90’s as the amount of technical equipment located on each wing increased, and the need to protect it against the elements. The panels were introduced as a means of improving visibility for Captains as they brought the ship along side. In fact the next time you are on board, walk along the pier side and look up at the bridge wing and you’ll see the panel is located at the point exactly above the edge of the pier. I hope that answers your question Steve, and please feel free to keep asking more and if I don’t know the answer I know one or two people who will!

 

Now it’s time for this week in Cunard’s History for 14^th to the 20^th November.

 

November 15 1997

QE2 makes her maiden call Miami, USA

 

November 19 1968

QE2 moves to her dry-dock in Greenock before beginning her first sea trials. Prince Charles becomes the first “civilian” passenger to board the ship.

 

Now to this week’s blog as the day finally arrived for TOGS around Britain (and some beyond) to come together and join a voyage of a lifetime on board Queen Victoria. TOGS I hear you ask……………….. Let me explain! TOGS actually stands for Terry’s Old Geezers and Gals – Terry (or more appropriately Sir Terry Wogan), is probably Britain’s best loved radio broadcaster who’s morning show on BBC Radio 2 has more listeners (over 10 million daily) than any other show, and as such he has become a national institution in his own right. You can find out more about Sir Terry and his breakfast show by following this link.

www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/wogan.

 

Sir Terry will be joining us later in the voyage after the incredibly successful fund raising night on Friday 14^th of November for ‘Children In Need’. This is an annual event which aims to raise money for literally hundreds of Children’s charities. There were some who thought that the current financial crisis around the world would mean last year’s total could not be matched, yet alone exceeded. Thanks to the ever generous British public and all those involved in fund raising events around the country, and at BBC Television centre (hosted by Sir Terry), a staggering £20.9million was raised. To find out more about the work ‘Children In Need’ does and how you can still donate (hint, hint!) you can click on this link. www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey

 

 

I was asked if I would join the group to assist with the smooth running of the voyage and the various TOGS activities. So apart from relishing the opportunity to be a part of this great event, it was also worth it to escape the new season of “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here”!  It was also a rare chance for me to travel as a guest on board so I was looking forward to seeing things from a different perspective which is always valuable. The festivities started with a special welcome party for all TOGS to gather in the Winter Garden. The ship had done a stunning job in preparing the venue and making it very special for the TOGS reception. In fact the very talented on board ice carver even made a giant Pudsey Bear (the ‘Children in Need’ mascot), out of polystyrene as a centre piece, which soon became a photo opportunity for TOGS’ scrapbooks.

 

 

I had the pleasure of introducing Charles Nove who many of you will recognise as one of Terry’s intrepid team. Not only is he a much loved broadcaster he is a keen wearer of cardigans and a fan of the Route Master double-decker bus – yes an interesting character! You can find out more about Charles on his blog -   http://charlesnove.blogspot.com.

 

 

He set the tone of the voyage by welcoming the TOGS, who were already enjoying the special TOGS cocktail (designed by the on board bar staff especially for the voyage), and finger desserts to live music.  We soon found out that many TOGS were embarking a ship for the very first time so it was great to welcome them, as well as a few familiar Cunard faces who were already sharing their nautical know how. It had been a long day for everyone but there was so much to chat about and catch up on that no one actually got the early night that they had earlier promised themselves!

 

 

It was an early start the following morning as we all gathered for the TOGS shore excursion to Meteora. If you have never been there – I can really recommend it, and although it sounds a bit of a cliché, seeing really is believing. We set off from the port of Volos (which apparently – for those familiar with Greek Mythology – was where Jason and his Argonauts set off in search of the Golden fleece in probably somewhat different conditions to that of the luxurious Queen Victoria; I doubt Jason had accommodation with a bath and balcony! Our guide was fantastic in giving us a potted history of the region’s incredible past featuring names I tried to remember from my history lessons. There was so much to absorb, but this was possibly overshadowed by our guide trying to get to grips with who or what TOGS were, let alone explaining the innuendos of the Janet & John stories, which we discovered didn’t translate very well in to Greek! To tell you briefly about Meteora; it is a region of incredible rock formations, which survived as vast pinnacles, towering above the surrounding landscape millions of years ago. Around the 9^th century hermits in search of solitude, climbed the faces of these formations and created caves which are still visible today. These hermits were later brought together in monasteries which were built at the top of these rocks and were virtually impossible to get to, in fact they were created by lowering baskets on ropes and the building materials were painstakingly lifted up one basket at a time. This was the normal access method for new joiners to the monasteries whose faith was probably put to the ultimate test as they hovered in nets hundreds of feet above the ground in a process that took up to half an hour. We were offered the same route, but most of us were delighted to find out that steps were carved in to the rocks in the early 20^th century.  Sadly, today only a handful of the original 26 or more monasteries survive. They are truly incredible and you may recognise this one, the Monastery of the Holy Trinity (Aghia Trias), as the location of the dramatic ending of the James Bond film, ‘For Your Eyes Only’ starring Roger Moore.

 

 

What a great day it was; mind you after a superb Greek lunch buffet the conversation on the way back to the ship seemed to transform in to gentle snoring from around the bus as we prepared for the formal night ahead.

 

Our next TOGS event comes in a few days time, and we’ll soon be welcoming more guests from Radio 2 including Sir Terry, so we’ll keep you up to date with what’s happening on board with some more photos. Don’t forget to listen to Radio 2 (you can also listen to this on line), on the 27^th and 28^th of November for the live broadcast from Queen Victoria’s Commodore Club between 7.30am and 9.30am GMT. In the meantime I am happy to report that everyone is having a wonderful voyage and are gradually introducing the TOGS concept to the crew and other guests of Queen Victoria with varying degrees of comprehension!

As I mentioned in my previous blog – we will be featuring some guest bloggers to share their experiences of that memorable day and of course it’s always fantastic to hear from readers. We’ll be hearing from QE2 herself very soon but in the meantime it’s a great pleasure to introduce Peter Shanks (Chief Commercial Officer for Carnival UK) with his guest blog.

 Alastair

We started by preparing to welcome HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. He duly arrived and came on board just as it turned 1100. Being the 11^th of November and Armistice Day – we therefore started with a 2 minute silence. To do this in the presence of HRH in front of the famous ‘Falklands Corner’ on deck 2 was very moving indeed. As we stood there, two historic aircraft flew over the ship and dropped a million red poppies over the ship. Given that it was the 90^th anniversary of the end of World War One – this was a very special tribute and carried out in true Cunard style.

 

HRH then continued round the ship meeting as many of our current and past crew as he could, including past Captains. On arriving in the Queens Room we asked HRH on our behalf to present a specially commissioned painting of QE2 to the Mayor of Southampton. This had been unveiled in June by Her Majesty the Queen when she came to bid farewell this year. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh decided he would say a few words. Marvellous I thought – the time had come for one of his much loved personal insights. The picture was of QE2 in the Solent weaving her way amongst a flotilla of yachts. HRH is a keen sailor and went on to mention that many times he had to take action as this wonderful liner had him in her sights. He went on to say that Cunard then built two even bigger liners to get in the way of his yacht! There we go – mission accomplished. My objective throughout the QE2 farewell celebrations has been to promote the fact that although QE2 is moving on we have two other fabulous liners and Queen Elizabeth on the way – and here we were with HRH endorsing the story himself. He went on to say that his one regret was that he had not had the chance to cross the transatlantic on a Cunard Liner. Now we are about to launch some fabulous offers for Queen Mary 2  Transatlantic Crossings and I will make sure that HRH gets a personal mailing!

 

Now I have not mentioned the heroes of the piece yet – the Cunard crew. They set about serving lunch for HRH and 70 guests in the famous Princess Grill. They served immaculate smoked salmon, beef wellington and coffee. We only had 55 minutes for lunch before being out on deck for a very special fly-past. The Cunard team delivered – in fact they did it with time to spare and nobody felt rushed. It was a beautiful lunch and our famous White Star Service was very much in evidence.

 

So out we all went onto the upper decks. We were expecting a Harrier Jump Jet from the Royal Air Force at 1340. Now for those of you who may not know what a Harrier is – it is a vertical take off fighter aircraft. They came into service at the same time as QE2 in 1967 – and played a major part in the Falklands War alongside QE2. So at exactly 1340 the jet whistled in. It stopped dead in its tracks just 500 feet opposite the funnel. It hovered, bowed its nose in respect, turned and then screamed off into the distance at full speed. Unbelievable, one iconic engineering feat paying tribute to another.

 

We bid farewell to HRH, it had been our pleasure to have him on the ship and he made the day very special indeed – especially for all those amongst our crew that he was able to meet.

 

Let me now fast forward to 1830, with all guests embarked for the final voyage of QE2. No normal voyage – this is the one that sold out in 36 minutes at full brochure price.  By now the media interest for the departure was at fever pitch. Our President Carol Marlow was hosting a special event in the upper level of the QE2 Terminal. I had volunteered to be the co-presenter on the 60 minute live BBC coverage of the departure. The water was full with hundreds of small boats, tens of thousands of local people lined every inch of water, helicopters were in the air the ship was ready to go and the fireworks were primed.

 

My strategy for co-presenting the live BBC broadcast soon became apparent to all. No matter what I was asked I was going to refer to the future of Cunard , the wonderful Queen Mary 2 , Queen Victoria and of course Queen Elizabeth. The wonders of live television – as I have learnt from watching the more astute politicians,  you can say exactly what it is you want to say no matter what the question. After all, why let the facts get in the way of a good story.

 

Well I sort of achieved my objective, but I have to be honest and say that the evening was of course about a very special lady – the QE2 – and rightly so. Like all good ladies, having been fashionably late in the morning – she left on time to the second. The presenter asked me afterwards , as we stood at the bow , how was I so confident to say live on TV that the ropes would definitely be let go in two minutes and she would come of the berth in four minutes. I told her it was just the confidence I had in the crew – the real answer being the blackberry messages I was secretly glancing at every few minutes.

 

As to what happened next –pictures say it better than words. QE2 slipped off the berth lit up by flash bulbs from ship and shore and sound drowned out by the band. She moved slowly down to salute the many thousands of local people escorted by hundreds of boats. Just at that moment we relayed a message in person from the Captain to giant screens ashore. He finished his few words with ‘she will never return to Southampton again………………’. Then – the mighty QE2 whistle sounded, everybody cried (except me because I used to play rugby) and the fireworks then lit up the sky.

 

As the fireworks finished you could just pick up the sound of thousands of people with ‘Three Cheers for QE2 – hip hip , hip hip,  hip hip ‘. And then the QE2 slipped through the dark and off to the next chapter of her life in Dubai.

 

All of us who work with Cunard are so very privileged to be part of such a legendary company. The one word that binds us all together is ‘proud’ . This was an event of which we can all be proud and an event that hopefully will persuade more and more guests around the world to come and witness the pride we all share.

 

We are Cunard !

We probably use the word “Historic” rather a lot on this Blog but Tuesday’s Farewell to QE2 in Southampton was that and so much more. Before we get this week’s emotional events, here is “This week in Cunard’s History” for the week of the 7th to the 13th November:

 

November 7 1970

QE2 makes her maiden Call Durban, South Africa

 

November 8 1999

Queen Mary 2 General Plans are completed and the first images are released

 

November 12 1931

The Georgic is launched at Harland & Wolf in Belfast and becomes part of the Cunard Fleet in January 1934.

 

November 12 1999

Carnival Corporation acquires the 32% of Cunard it did not already own, thus taking control of 100% of the company.

 

November 12 2007

Crew move on board the Queen Victoria for the first time

 

It was a day of mixed emotions on Tuesday as QE2 come to her home port for the 726^th and final time on Tuesday 11^th November and her home city came out in their thousands to say their own farewells to a legendary ship that has been part of their history for the last 39 years, since she came in to service in 1969.  I know you will have seen so many reports already, but I will do my best to add my perspective, and try to do justice to an event that was nothing short of momentous.

 

I always enjoy seeing the ships in their berths as you come in to Southampton but there is nothing quite like the red funnels of Cunard liners and to see QE2 at the berth of her namesake was a poignant moment which stirred many memories and emotions. Southampton was clearly gearing up for the event with special car parks, a big screen in Mayflower Park and TV crews filming all day capturing this amazing day.

 

Before I arrived in Southampton QE2 was part of the commemorations for Armistice Day (a veteran of service herself during the 1982 Falklands conflict), as one million poppy petals were dropped on her decks in the morning. His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh paid his own tribute at a special reception in the presence of senior officers past and present.

 

 

 

Despite the incredible hard work involved over the last few months of special voyages you had the sense of all the crew pulling out the stops to make this a fitting farewell for such a beloved Queen.  The time came that I had to disembark for the last time as she prepared for her sailaway celebrations and yes the Band on the shore side were playing ”Land of Hope and Glory” as I went down the gangway – did they see me?

 

Meeting on a balcony overlooking her final Southampton berth I was able to enjoy witnessing one final moment of tradition. President and Managing Director, Carol Marlow introduced QE2’s Master, Captain Ian McNaught who presented the Mayor of Southampton a “Paying Off Pennant” as is tradition when a ship leaves her homeport for the last time.  The magnificent pennant was 39 feet long representing each year of service and it was a very emotional moment for us all as the reality of the event, of her final departure, struck us. 

 

Then for the last time QE2 gracefully let go of her lines from Southampton to a massive cheer from those on board and on shore, and on the QE2 Terminal balcony everyone crammed as close to the rails as possible to get their final view of a legend that has been described as the closest a ship could be to being human. As she gently moved away from the berth the ships rails were also packed with guests, and you could see crew, still at work in the restaurants and staterooms, stopping work for just a moment to be part of an unforgettable moment.  

 

QE2 reversed gently to alongside Mayflower Park and as that wonderful whistle blew a salute to her hometown. That was the cue for a magnificent firework display which lit the night sky – no-one in the surrounding area could have missed this very special tribute.

 

 

 

 

It was quite strange for me having spent so many years at sea, and normally part of these events on board, to witness history from another perspective – from the pier. But it was so fantastic to see the affection that QE2 has quite deservedly gained, and to see that amongst those gathered on the shore side.

 

We got our final glimpse of the legendary Queen as she passed us for one final time and someone spontaneously shouted “Three cheers for QE2”. Everyone responded with a heartfelt “hip hip hooray” and started hugging one another to share the moment.

 

As I left in my car I listened to the radio to hear all the reports of QE2’s progress towards the Isle of Wight and the excitement generated by visitors and residents of Southampton. This was a day which no one will ever forget and everyone will have their own personal thoughts and memories as we saw that distinctive red funnel slip into the night. Personally all I could feel was pride that I had been privileged to have had the opportunity to serve on such an amazing ship and was delighted to see that Southampton had said good bye in a true elegant style befitting a legendary Queen.

Breaking News

Look out for some special upcoming Blogs including the emotional send off of QE2.  Also coming up is the TOGs (Terry’s old Geezers and Gals) voyage on Queen Victoria. Last week, along with my Cunard colleagues Richard Curtis, and Matthew Elgie, I was invited to join the launch of the “Bandaged” CD with Sir Terry Wogan at the BBC in London. I would like to take a moment to plug this CD which features many names from Radio 2 who gave up their time for this extremely worthwhile cause. You can find out more by following this link

 

www.charitygoods.com

 

From this you can click on the links to find out more about BBC’s “Children In Need” (BBC 1 – Friday 14^th November), and the incredible work done for youngsters.

 

We then put the final touches to the 12 day TOGS voyage on Queen Victoria departing 17 November from Athens, which promises to be an amazing voyage.  I’ll be on board and will be sending reports from the voyage and what the Radio 2 stars are up to along with their TOGs. 

 

 

Before I get in to this special blog, I just wanted to answer a comment from Rob Lightbody regarding the “This Day In Cunard’s History” about QE2’s funnel being repainted red during the 1986 refit. Rob pointed out that that although the funnel was widened and reconstructed at this time it was in fact repainted red in 1983. However we have consulted our Oracle (Michael Gallagher) on such matters and according to him it was in fact repainted even earlier – in August 1982. 

 

Meanwhile quite a few of you have been asking about Queen Mary 2’s dry dock which is currently taking place in Hamburg.  She is currently docked at dry dock ELBE 17 of Blohm + Voss Repair, a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. I’ve been to this dry dock a couple of times and when Queen Mary 2 is there she provides a stunning back drop to the city drawing an incredible amount of visitors photographing the ship from the other side of the river Elbe.  This is a picture I took on her last dry dock which shows how imposing she is.

 

 

 

Thanks Jerry for your link, we asked another Jerry if he would give us a report on what was happening and what a ship is like during the dry dock period. In addition to a freshen up of some public areas including the Chart Room we are also installing mobile technology to enable mobile phones to be used whilst at sea. A special coat of extremely high tech paint is also being applied to the ship’s hull – this is a state of the art low friction paint that will enable Queen Mary 2 to slide through the sea with a minimum of effort, thus helping to conserve fuel. Especially important during this time of unpredictable oil prices when there is a greater need than ever to operate efficiently! 

 

Some of you may remember Jeremy Saltonstall as the Second Officer who did such a great job in presenting the Virtual Bridge Tour ( A lecture in the Theatre detailing the day to day operation of the ship’s navigational bridge), on Queen Mary 2 and during the first few voyages on Queen Victoria. Here is Jerry’s report:

 

For me, a normal day on Queen Mary 2 is to carry out a watch on the bridge either at sea or in port. However it is always a rare occasion to be on watch whilst she is in dry dock. I have been involved with Queen Mary 2 since she was built back in 2003 in St Nazaire, France where I got to experience the whole building and start up operation of this fine liner. I was also involved in the building and start up of Queen Victoria in 2007 in Marghera, Italy. Seeing these vessels taking shape has been an interesting part of my life and I feel proud to be a part of history in the making.

 

Queen Mary 2 has been in service now for five years, and what a life she has had so far. As we departed Southampton for Hamburg on 22^nd October we bid farewell to the most famous ocean liner in the world, Queen Elizabeth 2. As we passed her at berth 38/9, there was an exchange of whistles and a lot of emotion. The privilege of sounding the whistles was given to Sheena, one of our housekeepers, who had served on QE2 for many years.

 

On arrival in Hamburg we waited for the right tide before slowly edging the ship in to Elbe 17 dry dock at the Bhlom and Voss repair yard. Once in position the dock gate was closed behind us and it wasn’t long before you could notice the water levels were starting to drop. At 14:00 on 25^th October, Queen Mary 2 was confirmed that she was resting on the blocks, where she would stay for 3 weeks. Before all the water had been pumped out of the dry dock, there was a mad rush to get the lifeboats and tenders lowered to the water, sent to the aft end of the dock, lifted over the dock gate, and driven round to another part of the ship yard where they were lifted out again into a large car park to have maintenance carried out on them. By the time we had finished the operation, the water level was already down two thirds of the vessels hull. It was here where you could see the amount of wear and tear that the hull of the ship had experienced. A large coat of fine green seaweed coated the areas just below the water line. As the water level continued to drop, the smell of seaweed dominated the whole area around the ship, the kind of smell that you would normally get when the tide was out in a port. Gangways were connected in various shell doors around the ship and equipment, spare and new parts were already being lifted on board.

 

It was midnight the next day before the dry dock was completely dry. Queen Mary 2 sat there, looking almost lost without any water around her, in a way like a stranded whale. The next day I went down into the dock bottom to see for myself the condition of the hull. All in all it was in a very good condition, ok it was very dirty, but the coatings were all intact and the amount of seaweed on the flat bottom of the hull was minimal.

 

We are now well over half way through the dry dock here in Hamburg and I am on the night watch between Midnight and 8am. The weather is cold everyday but the heating has remained on at all times to keep us warm. At night the fog roles up the river and Queen Mary 2 sits quietly in her dock. It’s a spooky scene, especially after just celebrating Halloween, as the fog moves around the ship at night without the sound of the fog horn going, like it would be at sea. Fog is normally an annoying thing for us on the bridge when underway but here in dry dock it’s nice to just watch role on by each night. Each day I walk around I see new items in place, it does seem extremely weird where all the shelves in places like the spa and shops are empty. There are no bottles on the shelves in the bars. All the chairs and deck chairs have been removed, the pools are empty, carpets are covered with protection, most of the elevators are shut down, and half the crew are missing! It’s certainly not what you would call a normal operating ocean liner.

 

The workers in the shipyard are very friendly and doing a great job in getting the vessel ready for sailing. All the maintenance is going to plan and we hope to be off the blocks and leaving the repair yard bound for Southampton on 13 November with the Cunard Queen looking, like she always does,……..Amazing!

 

Firstly, thanks to Caroline Mathieson for her report on the Tandem Transatlantic Crossing on board Queen Mary 2. It’s always interesting to be able to see the voyage through another’s eyes. Thanks as well for the questions comments and links to your videos. Firstly regarding the successful installation of drawers on Queen Victoria, I have been in touch with the ship and thanks to our Executive Housekeeper Rosemarie Christiner and her team I can confirm the remaining space under the bed is 110 cm x 85 cm x 25 cm. (In inches it’s 43 x 33.5 x 9.5). Don’t forget that’s per bed! Rosemarie has also suggested that guests bring suitcases that fit inside each under and then she reckons you may be able to bring as many as twelve cases! I can also confirm that the rumour about Queen Victoria and the wrap around deck is indeed just a rumour! Regarding the other questions – I’ll get back to you soon. In the meantime as the countdown continues to QE2’s farewell voyage you may be interested in hearing about her final emotional Sailaway from Southampton. More details are available on this link:

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/events/QE2-final-departure.asp?Month=11&Year=2008

 

 I’ll be there in Mayflower Park and will hopefully meet some of you at what will no doubt be a very emotional event but I’m sure it will be an amazing send off.  Before we get in to meeting Cunard’s Commodore, here is “This week in Cunard’s History” for the week of the 1^st to the 6^th November:

 

 

November 1 1921

Andania II is launched.

 

November 2 2003

Queen Mary 2 undertakes her second set of sea trials and achieves a speed of 30 knots.

 

November 3 1970

QE2 makes her maiden call at Luanda, Angola.

 

November 5 2004

QE2 becomes longest serving Cunard Express Liner surpassing RMS’s Aquitania’s 35 Years 6 months 1 day (1914 – 1949) by 2 days.

 

November 6 2000

Cunard signs the final contract for Queen Mary 2 and unveils key design details of the largest, longest, widest and tallest passenger ship in history that will enter service in 2004.

 

Now it’s a great pleasure to share an interview with Commodore Bernard Warner.

 

I first had the pleasure to work with Commodore Warner some 11 years ago and it was great to see him again as the master of Queen Mary 2 when I joined Cunard. He is currently in Hamburg on Queen Mary 2 during her dry dock refit, so I was grateful that he found the time to answer some questions.

 

Could you please give us an idea of your career so far?

A lifetime friendship with the sea was cultivated at Sandsend near Whitby on the north east coast of England, where I spent the summer holidays sailing and fishing with my father.

 

At sixteen I entered the Warsash School of Navigation at the University of Southampton.  Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth would frequently sail past the college as they made their way up Southampton Water into the port and it was these ships which gave me the inspiration to one day command a Cunard transatlantic liner.

 

In 1965 Cunard Line would only consider employing navigating officers who had attained a Master’s Certificate. I would be twenty five years old by the time this had been achieved. The alternative was to join P&O, which was the other great passenger shipping company of the day. I signed indentures and commenced a four year cadetship with them on 1^st January 1966. P&O had a large passenger fleet but an even larger fleet of cargo ships. My first voyage was from King George V dock in London to the Far East aboard “Somali”, a 7000 gross ton freighter.

 

Nearing the end of my cadetship in 1969, I joined my first passenger ship “Oriana,” and by the early seventies I was sailing as a Junior Deck Officer aboard the P&O ship “Iberia”. I was later to be appointed to the legendary P&O liner “Canberra,” where I also sailed as Deputy Captain in 1988.

 

P&O took over the British India Company (BI) in 1972 and I became one of the first P&O officers to serve on board “Uganda”. This ship specialised in educational cruising and carried up to one thousand school children suitably partitioned from four hundred first class passengers!

 

In 1974 P&O bought Princess Cruises and I sailed as First Officer aboard “Pacific Princess”. A lucrative contract was signed by the Company to film the television show “Love Boat” aboard their ship. This series was so successful in the United States of America that it proved to be the catalyst for cruising as we know it today, but it failed to inspire the same amount of enthusiasm in the United Kingdom!

 

By 1984 I had been promoted to Chief Officer on “Royal Princess,” the new revolutionary cruise ship being built by P&O. This was the first large cruise ship ever constructed with all outside staterooms. About seventy percent of the cabins were designed with balconies and a whole new cruising trend had begun. Her Royal Highness Princess Diana was invited to name the ship. Her infectious personality made her the perfect Godmother for the ship and she kept in touch with the crew for the remainder of her life.

 

In 1994, I was appointed to my first command – the 20000 gross ton ship “Island Princess” – and since that time have commanded seven other passenger ships. I was designated the first Master of both “Golden Princess” and “Diamond Princess”, which at a 116 000 gross tons, are slightly smaller than “Queen Mary 2 (148,500 gross tons”).

 

I was appointed to Queen Mary 2 in the summer of 2005, and became Commodore of the Cunard Fleet in January 2007.

 

The role of Master has often been described as the mayor of a small town. Please could you describe how you see your role on board?

One of the most exciting and challenging aspects of my job is that every day is different and I have to be prepared to work at any time, be it day or night.

 

My primary responsibility is for the safe navigation of Queen Mary 2 and the well being of all the guests and crew on board. I chair an Executive Committee with all the department heads reporting to me and ultimately I have the final responsibility. My brief includes overseeing the health, environment, safety and security of Queen Mary 2.

 

The ship is magnificent but she is only successful because of the outstanding crew we have operating the ship. It is therefore most important that the ship’s company are well looked after and enjoy their duties on board. Very little gives me more pleasure than visiting and chatting with our crew and I try to get to most areas behind the scenes every day.

 

Dependent upon the ship’s itinerary I often have to spend long periods on the Bridge particularly when we are in close proximity to the land, reduced visibility or heavy traffic. Handling the controls of Queen Mary 2 and taking the ship in and out of each port allows me to put into practice the ship handling aspects of my position, something which I enjoy and find very rewarding.

 

It is impossible to be Commodore without enjoying the many social functions. If they wish, every guest has the opportunity to meet me at the Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party. Whenever navigational duties allow, the Captain’s table is an enjoyable end to the day. Different guests are invited on formal evenings and many lasting friendships have been made.

 

Could you tell us how it felt taking command of Queen Mary 2 for the first time?

My appointment to Queen Mary 2 was very special for me because it brought to fruition all the goals I had set for myself from the moment I first came to sea in 1966.

 

 I am well aware of the tremendous responsibility placed upon me to be in command of such a fantastic ship. However, we have an exceptionally fine management team on board and a very dedicated Ships’ Company who are all proud to be working for Cunard Line and to be a part of this great ocean liner.

 

Happy guests at the beginning and end of each voyage ensure that we all remain proud to be aboard Queen Mary 2.

 

What is the most frequent question you get asked – and how do you answer it?

When walking around the ship or at a cocktail party I am often asked “If you’re here, whose driving?” I usually reply “I’ve no idea!”

 

Please could you tell us something about your job that would surprise us?

When giving the command to alter course this is done in much the same way as on a conventional ship, but the difference here is that there are no rudders to steer the ship!

 

Queen Mary 2 has four propellers at the stern of the ship, each one attached to a pod containing the electric propulsion motor. The forward two are fixed in the forward and aft direction but the after ones act as rudders to steer the ship while at sea and rotate through 360 degrees to assist in docking. The propellers pull rather than push, giving greater efficiency and less cavitation around the propellers. They enable the ship to be driven at very low speeds and with much greater efficiency at high speeds (29.5 knots when at full speed).

 

I succeeded Commodore Warwick on 8^th January 2007 and became the 31^st Commodore of the Cunard Line. The first was Charles Henry Evans Judkins who was appointed in 1872.

 

What do you think it is about Queen Mary 2 that makes her so special?

She is special because she offers so much more to her guests compared to an ordinary cruise ship. From a comfortable ride in all states of sea to providing so many activities for her guests to enjoy. Queen Mary 2 is an elegant Ocean Liner with fine lines, a very streamlined hull, a deep draft, and a long bow to handle every type of weather imaginable. Having said that, I always try to find the smoothest route across the ocean and avoid the major areas of rough sea! Even in bad weather she is amazingly stable and the roll is dampened by 90% using two pairs of Rolls Royce fin stabilisers.

 

Her interior features are like no other ship. Because it was decided she would not use the Panama Canal, she is a very wide and long ship which allows exciting spaces for our guests. Wide and high alleyways run along decks two and three. Most public spaces are 15 feet high instead of 12 and two deck public rooms are 36 feet high.

 

In Illuminations we boast the first planetarium at sea which can also double as a lecture theatre and cinema. A Transatlantic Crossing is more than just elegant transportation. We want our guests’ day to be such that they can choose between reading in our elegant 8000 book library or alternatively it can be packed with interesting choices of activities and experiences.

 

 The recently introduced Cunard Insights programme offers something for everyone. We tend to offer guests more than just lectures and they are able to interact with the experts, many of the famous, in fields such as show business, exploration, oceanography, finance, history and sport.

 

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art presents workshops, lectures and performances, enabling the guests not only to watch the stars of tomorrow in person, but actually study the skills of acting with them.

 

The Cunard ConneXions conference centre features abundant space for conducting business at sea with more meeting facilities than any other ship.

 

The West End Stage is bought to full effect in the two-tier Royal Court Theatre with dynamic musicals and celebrity entertainers.

 

The ship is filled with memorabilia depicting past great liners and the famous that have traveled with us. Our guests can follow the Maritime Quest which relates in audio the history of the Company from Samuel Cunard’s first transatlantic with Britannia in 1840, through to the present day.

 

One of the amazing features of our ship is the Queens Ballroom. It is the largest ballroom at sea and provides big band dancing throughout the voyage. It’s very popular and very different from the show lounges you would expect to see on cruise ships.

 

Over 70% of staterooms have balconies and range from the Grand Duplex of 2294 sq ft to a deluxe balcony stateroom of 284 sq ft

 

There is a feeling of space and luxury everywhere you walk!

 

 

Where is your favourite place on board Queen Mary 2?

As you can see, we have so many outstanding features for our guests to enjoy. The modern technology afforded by our Bridge means that my workplace is an enclosed and air conditioned environment, which is an essential feature to protect the state of the art navigational equipment. A viewing gallery allows our guests to see the bridge team in action while the ship is at sea.

 

I enjoy going outside to walk in the open air on the wide and long promenade on deck 7. The deck encircles the ship and three times around makes one mile.

 

If you could pick any shore excursion to go on what would it be?

Machu Picchu – The Lost City of the Incas. This is a four day tour which will be operated overland from Valparaiso (Chile) to Lima (Peru) on Queen Mary 2’s 2009 World Cruise.

As I will be driving the ship between Valparaiso and Callao (Lima) I will have to find another opportunity to take this amazing tour!

 

What does “We Are Cunard” mean to you?

It means that the Ship’s Company work together to provide the finest possible experience for our guests, in every area of the ship, during every moment of their day.

 

Where would you like to go in the world where you haven’t been yet?

Petra, the ancient lost city carved in to the walls of a desert canyon in Jordan.

Queen Victoria calls at Aqaba on her 2009 World Cruise and tours will be run to Petra. An opportunity not to be missed…I wish I was there!

 

Do you have any unfulfilled dreams?

To give my children the best start in life and enjoy as much time with them and my wife, Tina, as I possibly can. I am fortunate that we have all been able to travel together on board if I’m at work during the school holidays. This has made a tremendous difference to our lives

 

When you are on leave; what is your perfect night?

I have spent 42 years at sea and a lot of time away from my family. The perfect night would be spent at home in Warwickshire with Tina and my two sons – Tom and Charlie. Not forgetting our two dogs Tilly and Rio, yellow and black Labradors respectively!

 

Could you tell us a little bit about the Queen Mary 2 dry dock in Hamburg – and how’s it going?

We have dry docked at the Bloem and Voss shipyard in Hamburg for routine maintenance to our podded propulsion system. We are also taking the opportunity to replace many carpets and curtains throughout the ship and retain that wonderfully sophisticated Art Deco appearance.

 

What is your favourite quote and who said it?

I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year, “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied, “Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light, and safer than a known way”.

 

This was written by M.L.Harkins and used by His Majesty King George V1 for his Christmas Day Broadcast in 1939 at the commencement of World War 11. He concluded “May that almighty Hand guide and uphold us all.”