Countdown to Queen Elizabeth - 254 days

 

As Queen Mary 2 made her maiden call to Cochin in India and headed to Phuket in Thailand, her sister, Queen Victoria had crossed the Pacific to make her maiden call to the port of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. It was the ship’s first visit to the island and what a welcome we received, and certainly beyond our expectations. On the same day a couple from Toronto, Canada had decided to make this an extra special day as well. More of that after our regular feature, Cunard’s history, for the week 5 to 11 February:

 

5 February 1840	Samuel Cunard’s first ship, the 1,154-ton paddle steamer Britannia, is launched at Robert Duncan’s ship yard.
6 February 1924	Aurania III is launched in Newcastle and enters service as the second set of triplets of the A Class liner
6 February 1951	Caronia makes her maiden call to Auckland, New Zealand
7 February 1925	Alaunia II (14,040 Tons) is launched at John Brown’s, Clydbank and enters service on the Canada route
10 February 1977	QE2 makes her maiden call at Nagasaki, Japan
11 February 2008	Queen Victoria makes maiden crossing of the international Dateline

 

Queen Victoria anchored off the island of Maui at about 8am last Monday, and everyone soon flocked to the open decks to see the most incredible welcome from the marine life of the bay. There were North Pacific Humpback Whales everywhere around the ship with approximately twenty of them on view comprising families with their calves.

 

 

We found out that this was no coincidence, as the Whales choose the Maui area and specifically the bay around Lahaina as it is a perfect area for them to spend their winters. Hawaiian water temperatures average around 75 degrees, which is an ideal environment for the newborn calves. The islands shelter and protect the waters and form a shallow basin, as compared to the deep surrounding Pacific Ocean waters with depths of up to three miles. The average depth in the area off Lahaina is only about 300 feet which is perfect for the Humpback Whale. Another reason they come to Maui is that Hawaiian waters are virtually predator free for the Humpback Whales. Their only other predators, besides humans, are Orcas, the Killer Whale, but they are rarely seen in Hawaii as they prefer colder waters. The Humpbacks encounter Orcas on a regular basis when they migrate to the feeding grounds of Alaska in the summer, and as such, about a fifth of Humpback Whales bear scars from Orca attacks. The marine life remained visible throughout the day; it was almost like some of the calves wanted Queen Victoria to join in the fun! Our guests and crew were able to take some fantastic photos from the ship and the tenders which took them ashore; mind you it takes a professional like our Chief Photographer, Marius Botha to get a shot like this.

 

 

The name La haina means “cruel sun” in the Hawaiian language, describing the sunny dry climate enjoyed most of the year. It’s a small town compared with the very busy and cosmopolitan Honolulu, with the focus of activity along Front Street, which dates back to the 1820s and today is lined with stores and restaurants. Banyan Tree Square features an exceptionally large Banyan tree planted in 1873 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the missionaries. It has grown by dropping roots from its branches that then become additional trunks, allowing it to cover two-thirds of an acre.

 

 

 

It’s amazing to think that this is just one tree! It now has twelve major trunks and the symmetry of the tree is apparently maintained by volunteers.

 

While most of our guests were enjoying island tours, two guests from Toronto, Canada were preparing for a day they would never forget, because this was the day they had chosen for their Hawaiian wedding. Corey who recently retired from the Canadian Military, and Amy, who works in finance, met in a nightclub in Toronto just over a year ago. As Amy was already booked on part of Queen Victoria’s World Voyage, the idea of a Hawaiian wedding seemed perfect. Amy’s parents are staying on for the whole World Voyage so they also attended the ceremony on an exclusive beach within a short walk of Lahaina. Amy’s sister and her partner flew to the island for a week’s holiday, so they could also be part of the special day. The setting was idyllic with their honeymoon destination, (Queen Victoria) in the background.

 

 

 

They said that once they had decided on a Hawaiian wedding, the process was actually quite simple and not too complicated. They managed to arrange everything over the internet and all they had to do on the day was arrive at Amy’s sister’s hotel to change, and then walk down to the beach to meet the minister who had arranged their traditional Hawaiian wedding, which they told me involved lots of kissing throughout the ceremony along with exchanges of leis and vows.

 

 

After the ceremony they wanted to do something quite different so they hired a paddleboard before returning to the ship later that afternoon. They had a lot of fun on the tender back as they heard guests saying, “Did you see the wedding on the beach – how lovely”. “Little did they know, that it was us” said Amy. Back on board their room steward Rosie had made a special decoration of kissing swans made out of towels, so I am guessing the word was out!

 

While Amy’s parents continue with their World Voyage after Sydney, the now Amy and Corey McKee-Beglin, will be making plans to move in to their new condominium in September when it is finished. This was Corey’s first voyage and they hope their anniversaries will be back on board; what a great idea! Thanks Corey and Amy for sharing your story with us and we wish you every happiness in your married life.

 

The following day we were back in Honolulu and now Queen Victoria is heading towards the Southern Hemisphere. I’ll be back on Monday and I have a great Blog for you with video from our day in San Francisco. Cheers for now, Alastair

Countdown to Queen Elizabeth - 278 days

 

I have just returned from Monfalcone, Italy, where the Queen Elizabeth “Float Out” Ceremony took place at the Fincantieri shipyard, and what a day it was. I also enjoyed the opportunity to see the ship, and the staggering progress that has been made, since our last visit in November. It’s now just 10 months to go, and judging from your comments, the excitement is definitely building, so we’ll keep the pictures and reports coming. Despite the cold weather and a bit of rain, we were able to capture this important milestone with some great photos and we also recorded some more video Blogs which we will bring you over the next couple of weeks.

 

Before we get to those first pictures here’s Cunard’s history, for the week 8 to 14 January:

 

8 January 1971	QE2 joined in the rescue of some 500 passengers from the burning French Line ship, Antilles, off Mustique Island
8 January 2004	Queen Mary 2 is named by Her Majesty the Queen after 20,000 people had worked with 300,000 parts, 1,000 miles of welding in just 2 years of construction
8 January 2007	Cunard announces the new Commodore of the Cunard Fleet as Bernard Warner
9 January 1972	Several fires break out on Queen Elizabeth while she is in Hong Kong Harbour as a floating university. Arson was suspected but never proven. By the next morning she was on her side, where she stayed for 3 years before sinking.
11 January 1949	Caronia arrives in New York for the first time, via Cherbourg
13 January 2008	Queen Victoria makes her maiden call at New York for the first meeting of three Queens with Queen Mary 2 and QE2.

 

 

 

 

The “Float Out” ceremony marked the moment that Queen Elizabeth’s hull touched water for the first time. For the event, Cunard’s President and Managing Director, Peter Shanks, was joined by 79-year old Florence (Dennie) Farmer who was guest of honour at the event. Dennie’s husband, Willie Farmer joined Cunard in September 1938 and served as Chief Engineer on both Queen Elizabeth and QE2 until retirement in October 1979. Since her husband’s death Dennie has sailed with Cunard many times and her link to the two previous Queen Elizabeth ships is unparalleled. In recognition of this, Cunard bestowed on Dennie the honour, in Italian tradition, of being ‘Madrina’ to the third Queen Elizabeth.

 

 

 

We arrived quite early so we could have a look at the ship before the VIPs, dignitaries and press arrived; so what is our new Queen looking like:

 

 

 

Yes, what a transformation from the last pictures. Her bow is looking stunning, and how wonderful to see her name on the traditional Cunard livery.

 

 

 

You may notice one key difference to her sister, Queen Victoria, and that’s the new Games Deck. As you may already know, this area will have a special canvas covering, and you can see the support work already in place. This is what the area will look like in October.

 

 

 

 

 

In fact you get a great view of the area in this picture and yes they did manage persuade me to go up on another crane to get this photo!

 

 

 

You will see there is a temporary structure on this part of the deck and that was because the first part of the ceremony took place here. It involved the welding of significant coins beneath the mast of Queen Elizabeth for good luck. Three coins were chosen; a half crown dated 1938 (the year the first Queen Elizabeth was launched); a sovereign dated 1967 (the year QE2 was launched) and a sovereign dated 2010 to acknowledge the fact that the new Queen Elizabeth is being floated out in 2010.

 

 

 

After the coin ceremony, the focus moved to the dockside where the ship was blessed, and a bottle of Italian Prosecco was smashed against the hull by our Madrina. The valves of the dry dock were then opened so the ship could meet the water for the first time. I’ll have more pictures and video of the whole event in the next Blog on Monday.

 

Meanwhile looking around the ship I was able to see some other spaces becoming more recognisable. Here you can see the magnificent vaulted roof of the Garden Lounge and just behind the roof structure you can see the Grills area which has just recently been added.

 

 

It may not be easy to imagine this at the moment but this is what it will look like:

 

 

 

 

One of the other recent additions is the Yacht Club which is where Hemispheres is located on Queen Victoria.

 

 

 

And this is what this will look like in ten months time.

 

 

We managed to get back on the quayside just before the other guests arrived. I couldn’t get the whole ship in one photo but this is a great shot showing all the ship’s superstructure now in place.

 

 

 

The large yellow equipment on the side of the ship is used to transport staterooms to the various decks along with other equipment and outfitting materials. Just below the Cunard name was where the second part of the ceremony took place, and a really keen eye may be able to spot the black speck which is the bottle of Prosecco ready to be released. Just one job was left before the event could begin and that was the all important clearing of the dry dock of numerous pieces of equipment including this crane used by the ship yard workers to paint the ship’s hull.

 

 

 

And now for a few words from our President and Managing Director, Peter Shanks, about his experience of the event:

 

Wow. All of us at Cunard have a growing sense of anticipation and pride in Queen Elizabeth – but to stand today beneath her famous black hull and for the first time to see the words ‘Queen Elizabeth’ on the bow was a wonderful moment for us all. The traditional Italian ‘Float-Out’ Ceremony is a lovely tradition. We had invited a long standing friend of Cunard – Dennie Farmer – to be our ‘Madrina’ for the event. We had quite a day and I thought I would share with you some of my personal highlights.

 

Bad Weather – The weather everywhere at the moment is a problem. Yesterday it snowed heavily in Trieste, but this morning the weather held off which was a good omen for the day. However, I did invest over the Christmas period in a very grown-up full length coat. Alongside Dennie – me in my new black coat and her in a very apt red coat, hat and gloves were all set. As I write this while flying back to Gatwick this evening – I hear we are expecting a foot of snow at home tomorrow – we have been lucky with our timing.

 

A warm welcome – The pride that all the workers and management of Fincantieri have in building Queen Elizabeth is marvellous. We were a small group from the office along with some of our key journalist partners. From the minute we arrived at the yard we were made to feel very special. During the ceremony I was asked to give a short speech. I had help in translating a few paragraphs into Italian and I was able to tell the many hundreds of yard workers present that they were as of now ‘Honorary Cunarders’ and to thank them personally for the progress they have made to date. They got the biggest round of applause of the day and deservedly so. In the same way that I often mention that it is the staff on board our ships who deliver our White Star Service – it is the dedication, enthusiasm and pride of the yard workers who build the magic for us to deliver to our guests.

 

Never saw myself as a welder – Part of the tradition is to weld a coin below the mast of the ship. Well we chose three coins – why not, this ship is at least three times as exciting as any other ship that will launch this year. Dennie went first and was aided by two yard workers in welding the coins into place. I was next – you know it is incredible to play such a part in the history of Cunard Line. Over the next 20-30 years many hundreds of thousands of guests will stop, look and read about the coins – today Dennie and I welded them into place – and welded ourselves into the history of Cunard Line. (I should be honest here and say that I think Dennie made a better welder than I did).

 

 

 

Now that is what I call a bottle smash – I know I should not have worried – after all here we were in a ship yard. But I could not help wondering if the bottle would smash, as Dennie cut the string with a very smart little axe. Words like ‘obliteration’ and ‘smithereens’ come to mind – as one of the pictures show, these Fincantieri boys really know their stuff.

 

 

 

Very Special Atmosphere – Let’s be honest – we were in reality just standing in front of a huge amount of steel. We have all witnessed many of these events. But as the Padre blessed the ship, as the national anthems were played, as the bottle smashed, as the yard workers cheered it was very clear to all of us that this was no simple lump of steel. This was special – this was Cunard, this was Queen Elizabeth and we were all playing a part in a special moment in the life of Queen Elizabeth.

 

Thank you Dennie – The yard treated Dennie so well during the day. She received a lovely memento of the occasion, a dozen beautiful roses and as we left she was handed an album already full of the photos of the day. I really hope she enjoyed her special day. In fact I know that she did – full of thoughts as to how proud her late husband Willie would have been of her continuing their long association with Cunard Elizabeth’s.

 

 

 

Well I hope that gives you a flavour of the day. Back to work in the morning and back down to earth. We have an awful lot to do to prepare for the introduction of the ship – and her Maiden Voyage on 12 October, a very special day for all of us, not least because it happens to be Columbus day – how cool is that?

 

Best Regards

 

Peter Shanks

President and Managing Director – Cunard Line

 

 

That’s it I’m afraid for this Blog, but we’ll post some great videos soon, and these will cover the ceremony itself along with interviews with Peter Shanks, our Madrina Dennie Farmer and the Fincantieri Yard Director, Paolo Capobianco along with more interior shots. The first video blog of this event will be posted at the beginning of next week along with more photos. In the meantime I have to start packing as I will be joining Queen Victoria on her 2010 World Voyage in New York on Tuesday. Cheers Alastair

Countdown to Queen Elizabeth - 292 days

 

As Queen Victoria spends her Christmas in the Canaries and Queen Mary 2 celebrates in the Caribbean, we’ve already had snow falls here in Britain. Who knows whether it will stay or not for Christmas, but it has certainly made things very festive as we think of our colleagues in warmer climes. Thank you again for all your comments and to answer the big question regarding Queen Elizabeth and when she will float out; well read on as Peter Shanks mentions it in his message. Before we get to that here’s this week in Cunard’s history, for the week 25 to 31 December:

 

25 December 1981 QE2 makes her maiden call at Kralendijk, Bonaire

26 December 1949 Caronia makes her maiden call to Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo)

26 December 2003 Queen Mary 2 arrives in Southampton for the first time

27 December 1930 John Brown Yard Manager, Donald Skifflington, hammers first rivet on Queen Mary

28 December 2007 Queen Victoria makes her maiden call at Madeira

30 December 1964 Contract to build QE2 is signed between Cunard and John Brown Shipyard.

 

As we reflect on this remarkable year for Cunard, it’s a great pleasure to hand over to Peter Shanks for his thoughts on this last year and a look at the one ahead.

 

 

Guest Blog – Peter Shanks - President and Managing Director Cunard Line

 

Happy Christmas

 

As we look forward to Christmas and the dawn of a new year, it’s good to reflect a little on the past year and what we have to look ahead to in 2010.  The past year has certainly been a tough one for all of us, whether in business or in our personal lives, given the very challenging economic conditions we have seen around the world. First and foremost, all of us at Cunard Line would like to thank our valued guests for travelling with us over the past year. We are fortunate to have a wonderful sense of loyalty amongst our guests. We have also seen a growing number of guests sailing with Cunard Line for the first time in 2009. Almost every sailing has been full during the year and we really appreciate that support.

 

As you know, we very carefully measure our guest satisfaction on each and every voyage. Through the year our guests have scored their satisfaction at record levels on both Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Over 98% said they would recommend Cunard to a friend and over 97% said they would return to sail with Cunard again in the future. That is terrific and the credit for that must go to the ship’s company. We pride ourselves on our White Star Service – it’s the most special thing we have.  In a Christmas message to all of our staff who work so hard on board our ships I was able to thank each and every one of them for the marvelous “White Star Service” they deliver to our guests, so rest assured their efforts in looking after all of our guests have been, and will continue to be, well recognised.

 

I hope you have enjoyed reading our Blog during 2009, it’s really starting to take on a life of its own. From my perspective there have been a number of highlights during the year, many of which have been shared on the blog, but in particular I will remember the year for:

 

·         Queen Mary 2 Around the British Isles Voyage – this was a wonderful way to celebrate the 5^th birthday of Queen Mary 2 – without doubt the most famous ship in the world. The welcome we received in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cobh and Cherbourg was amazing. It reminded all of us of the proud tradition of Cunard Line.  To be on Queen Mary 2, on the Mersey River, alongside the historic Cunard building, in the Royal Court Theatre, with the 73 piece Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra performing “You’ll never walk alone” was very Cunard. Queen Victoria will go round Britain in July 2010 on her inaugural lap of honour and I certainly won’t miss that one!

 

·         My lapel pin – I never thought a lapel pin could mean so much. All of us at Cunard Line wear the White Star Service lapel pin. It is a small piece of metal, but it represents something which is incredibly special both to all of us at Cunard Line and I trust to our guests as well.  Each time I go on the ship, it acts as a point of reference – all of our staff have their pin and wear it proudly, they also recognise the fact that I have my pin on as well. So even to those staff who I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, there is instant recognition that we are all part of something special.

 

·         So many awards – it’s fine for all of us at Cunard to be proud of the service we deliver to our guests.  However to receive third party recognition is much more powerful as it salutes the holiday experience and service we offer to our guests.  2009 has been a great year for awards including:

 

-       “Cruise Line of the Year” – British Travel Awards

-       “Best Cruise Line in four out of five categories” – the first ever Zagat awards in North America

-       “Top two ships in the world” – Berlitz Cruise Guide

-       “Top Cruise Line” – Cruise.co.uk guest reviews

-       “Conde Naste Readers’ Travel Award”

 

Those are only a few but it was terrific in each case to be able to send a very positive message to our ships’ company for what they have achieved.

 

 

·         Meeting our Guests – in my first six months as President and Managing Director of Cunard Line I have really enjoyed meeting so many of our guests whilst on board our ships.  That has been a real highlight for me personally as it is always useful to hear just how our guests feel about their experience as well as ideas for future itineraries and areas where we could further innovate and improve in everything that we do.  So thank you for taking the time to share those ideas and I look forward to meeting many more of our guests during 2010, including when I join Queen Mary 2 in New York in June eastbound Transatlantic Crossing.

 

 

Looking forward to 2010, it’s going to be a very special year indeed. The highlight of course will be the introduction of Queen Elizabeth in October. There is a real sense of anticipation and excitement building now and we have much to do and much to announce as we go through 2010. Our Blog has become a really useful way of us communicating how the ship is developing and Alastair has been terrific in terms of the photos and video blogs he has been posting.  We will continue with that starting with the Float Out ceremony on 5 January in Trieste. Rest assured we will share all of our exciting news as we go through each month of 2010.  The one for everyone to watch out for will be the launch of the Queen Elizabeth inaugural Summer Season for 2011 which will go on sale in April. We are currently working on her itineraries to ensure they are the best we have ever had, with a range to suit everybody in all of our international markets. 

 

In the year ahead Queen Victoria also has some exciting new itineraries as she settles down to fly/cruising in the second half of the summer in the Mediterranean and of course her exciting new programme for Winter 10/11 which includes the Caribbean, Panama Canal, West Coast of USA and Hawaii. And with Queen Mary 2 and her historic Transatlantic crossings we really have an awful lot more to offer our guests than ever before.

 

So thank you for being one of our “bloggers”. We will be launching a new website in the first part of 2010 and we will continue to make sure that our “We are Cunard” blog plays a prominent part.

 

It gives Alastair, myself and many other colleagues the ability to tell the many exciting and varied stories that come to us on a daily basis at Cunard Line. It is really very special to have a brand with 170 years of heritage and the youngest fleet in the world.

 

So a very happy Christmas to each and every one of our bloggers and guests and thank you so much for your interest and support of Cunard Line during 2009.

 

Best wishes too for the year ahead in everything that you do. We hope that one of the highlights of your own year ahead will be a voyage, or two, with Cunard Line – we would love to welcome you back.

 

Best regards,

Peter Shanks

 

Thank you Peter, and when you look back, it’s certainly been an amazing year. It just leaves me to add my personal best wishes to everyone for a wonderful Christmas season wherever you are in the world. I’ll be back next Thursday with the 125^th and final post of 2009. Cheers Alastair

As Queen Mary 2 headed back to Southampton on her last eastbound transatlantic crossing of the year, there was a special celebration for one of her guests. Most people from the United Kingdom will be familiar with the famous Soap Opera, Coronation Street, and will remember one of its most beloved couples, Jack and Vera Duckworth. Liz Dawn who played the role of Vera Duckworth for an impressive 34 years has sailed on QE2 and Queen Mary 2 many times.  Here she is with Commodore Warner in 2007:

Born in Leeds as Sylvia Butterfield, Liz Dawn was the daughter of a skilled engineer and his wife, the third of five children. At the age of 16 she left school and started working in a local tailoring factory and then took various jobs including a cinema usherette, shoe salesgirl and a light bulb seller in Woolworths.

Liz then sang in clubs and posed for publicity photographs with a guitar but when bookings came in for a guitarist she claimed she had hurt her finger and told jokes instead as she was unable to play the guitar. When Liz auditioned for a Cadbury’s cookie commercial, directed by Alan Parker in the late sixties, she was soon inundated with offers. She appeared in the James Herriott movie Who’d Be A Vet and played Larry Grayson’s neighbour Dot in a long running sitcom before landing a role in Colin Welland’s play Leeds United. One of her lesser known roles was as one of the alien voices in the Cadbury’s Smash advertisements in the 1970s!

She began her career on Coronation Street in 1974, in a recurring role as a factory worker until her husband Jack, (played by William Tarney) first appeared in 1979. By 1983 her role had become concrete and the rest as they say is history, as the nation watched the ups and downs of the Duckworth family life; who could ever forget those flying ducks!

During her time on the soap Liz found time to publish her autobiography “Vera Duckworth – My Story in 1993” and in 2000, she was chosen as the Lady Mayoress of Leeds.  In October of that year she was awarded an MBE for her services to charity, having helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for hospitals in the Manchester and Leeds area. She is married to husband Donald Ibbertson and has four children.

By her own request, because of ill health, on 22 July 2007, the producers of Coronation Street announced that Liz was to be written out and her final appearance would come in January 2008, when Vera Duckworth died in her sleep, thus ending 34 years of the popular, iconic character. Liz stated that the hardest thing about leaving Corrie was saying goodbye to Bill Tarmey (who played her on screen husband Jack), with whom she is best friends. Liz won the Special Achievement Award at the 2008 British Soap Awards for her 34-year long portrayal of her iconic character.

Liz Dawn’s last visit to Queen Mary 2 was particularly special, as she was celebrating her 70^th birthday. So at a special dinner on board, the chefs prepared a special surprise, by presenting her with a birthday cake. But this wasn’t just any cake as the pastry team had created a replica of the “Rovers Return”; the pub where Vera Duckworth not only worked but will have enjoyed a fair few drinks over the years.

What an amazing career and of course we all wish her Many Happy Returns. I’ll be back tomorrow with my regular post with some pictures of Queen Elizabeth that have just arrived from the ship yard in Italy. Cheers for now, Alastair

Greetings from Queen Victoria as we cross the Equator heading North to Saipan. Our bloggers in the UK may be interested to hear that a documentary filmed for the BBC Two Timewatch series on QE2’s farewell voyage to Dubai, is being screened tomorrow night (28th February) at 8pm UK time on BBC2.

Today I watched an old episode of “Keeping Up Appearances”, that great BBC comedy featuring Patricia Routledge as Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced “Bouquet” as she keeps reminding us!), where she sails on QE2 and to her horror discovers her sister and the dreadful husband Onslow, are also on board. The episode called “Sea Fever”, had hilarious consequences as always and yet again reminds us what a stunning ship QE2 is and all of our memories of her.  It’s funny how life is full of coincidences, because as I was watching the television, I opened an E Mail from Carmel who sailed on the farewell voyage on QE2 as the on board Librarian. The library is an essential part of the Cunard tradition with the first library on a ship being created on the “Bothnia” in 1874. It’s a tradition that has continued to Queen Victoria’s two deck library and the largest library at sea on Queen Mary 2, containing over 8,000 books. Carmel is part of a very knowledgeable team who do a great job in looking after our guests and she has written a wonderful poem sharing her thoughts of the last voyage. Knowing how fond everyone is of the legendary QE2 I thought our bloggers would enjoy hearing about her final voyage from another view point.

 

Meanwhile, I’ll be back on Wednesday with a festive blog with pictures of the celebrations on both Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria – both enjoying the season in the Caribbean.

 

 

Carmel Rogers – QE2 Librarian

QE2’s Last Voyage to Dubai – 28^th November 2008

 

When I was young I saw the QE2, she was often in the news.

I wondered, in passing, what it must be like, to be in a sailor’s shoes.

Little did I know that I would walk her decks and sail around the world.

How many times I would see her ensign snap and in the wind unfurl.

 

Seven times around the world in my short 8 year career.

Now the day we have to leave her is drawing awfully near.

The strains of music and the sound of laughter will slowly fade away.

The tinkle of tableware and crystal glasses will be memories of another day.

 

The ever present heart beat of the great engines will be still at last.

As to her final resting place her ropes will hold her fast.

The world’s oceans will seem empty without their greatest queen.

Her magnificent shape on the horizon will never again be seen.

 

But we must do her justice and celebrate her reign of so many nautical miles.

All the anniversaries, birthday parties, friendships forged and years of

laughter and of smiles.

 

Yes many happy memories and lots of anecdotes to tell.

Of the Golden Age of Cruising and how we knew it well.

She will take her place of honour, as the Jewel in the Crown of The Palm.

A resting place fit for our favourite Queen, where she will be kept from harm.

 

So now we must wait impatiently as three long years go by.

Until she has had her refit and been scrubbed up in Dubai.

I hope she will still resemble the Great Lady we all knew.

In these days that we all made History – guests and crew.

 

As we sail in with fanfares and fireworks to our very final port.

Sound that whistle one more time. Delivered safe by Ian McNaught!!

This Final Voyage seemed so far away and it proves how much time flew.

She will always sail within our hearts. Long live QE2.

I am now back in a rather damp and certainly cold Wiltshire,  and I have to say it feels a little weird to be home after just 12 days on Queen Victoria, rather than my normal three or four months that I usually spend at sea. I still have part four on the TOGS voyage which I’ll post later in the week and I think it’ll be a great one. In the meantime, when I got home, I received a great E Mail from Peter Shanks that I wanted to post today. Peter Shanks is Chief Commercial Officer for Carnival UK. I promised some feedback from QE2’s farewell voyage and arrival in Dubai so here is the first of what I hope will be a few different posts on the subject and of course we’ll also keep you up to date with her new life. Here is Peter’s message.

 

Alastair – a remarkable few days in Dubai and I wanted to share my own personal experience for your Cunard bloggers. It’s Friday and I am returning from Dubai having just handed over QE2 to our friends in Dubai.  At Cunard we are famed for making history - and over the last two days we have taught the city of Dubai what history is all about – we made some with them.

 

QE2 arrived into Dubai at the end of her final voyage on Wednesday. We had worked hard to make sure it was a spectacular arrival. Having met with the lawyers in the morning to make sure all was well with the transaction, I was invited to board the Royal Yacht MV Dubai with around 100 local dignitaries to sail out to welcome QE2 into Dubai. Quite some yacht I can tell you, the biggest private yacht in the world. We set sail out past the Palm of Jumeirah to find QE2. We had arranged for the British Navy to be in attendance to pay their respects and they sent HMS Lancaster. As we sat having lunch, I looked out of the window and there she was; there was a rustling amongst the guests on board as they set eyes on QE2 for the first time.

 

HMS Lancaster sailed alongside QE2 with every member of their crew in formal uniform standing to attention along the ship. This was the very first time that a British Navy ship had paid a full salute to a merchant ship – a very special moment for our Captain and crew. As the ships closed, the crew on HMS Lancaster gave the Captain of QE2 three cheers, and raised their hats. The 1800 guests on board QE2 gave three cheers back. Awesome, and not a dry eye on the ship.

 

 

So then we lined up – MV Dubai in front, followed closely by QE2 with HMS Lancaster following on behind. Next surprise was that we had arranged for a fly-past from the brand new Emirates A380. She came over the flotilla at just 1,000 feet – an unbelievable sight. 

 

 

Here was the most famous ship in the world, the most modern aircraft in the world, a flotilla of hundreds of boats and 1800 of our valued guests toasting the event with a glass of champagne as ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ played out over the ship’s tannoy. Now I met the Chief Pilot of Emirates a couple of weeks ago as we had a meeting to plan the event. He said that if all went well he would fly over the ship three times. Well he was at the controls, and talk about ‘Boys with new Toys’ – he flew over no less than 12 times from a range of different angles – fantastic.

 

So - on the MV Dubai we sped back to the port. QE2 took her time; pausing to attach two tugs to help her through the narrow port entrance (well we did nudge into Southampton only two weeks ago so best to be careful). On the dockside were thousands of people and a press pack to be proud of. She was due to dock – after 41 years – at 17:45 and she was on-time to the minute.

 

My next task was to welcome the local delegation and escort them onto the ship. As we stood waiting for the ship to be tied up, with all of our guests waving flags from the decks, a local band struck up with bagpipes for some true British welcome music. Our President, Carol Marlow stepped off the ship and together we took the delegation (or in my language the buyers) up to the bridge wing. Now for the fireworks. They had to shut down air traffic space for these and we only had a fifteen minute window. My job was to phone the event manager once we were ready to go on the bridge wing. That was pretty cool; I called, said ‘Hit it’ and seconds later fireworks lit up the sky.

 

Then we just let the ship deliver a wonderful last night for our guests. Walking round the bars and restaurants during the evening was a wonderful experience. Guests and our staff were as one, sharing stories, talking about the future and looking forward to seeing each other again on Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth. It was a sight to behold as was everybody dancing the night away for once last time the look-alike-Beatles. We had also arranged for Des O’Connor to fly out and he performed two shows for our guests.

 

After all of our guests had disembarked the next morning, we completed the formalities and a small group gathered on the Bridge Wing for the flag exchange. This was one of the most moving events I have been privileged to be part of. Carol Marlow spoke first brimming with emotion and asked the Captain to lower the Cunard Ensign. Down it came in silence, fluttering proudly for one last time. Then a few words from the ship’s new owners, who spoke of how proud they were and just how much care they would take of QE2 in future and up went the new flag. It was indeed a moment of history. They say life begins at forty – and I think we will all be able to experience a new QE2 in Dubai in the future. Having seen their plans in detail, I am confident that when the project is finished it will be prove to be the right home for QE2 in the future. Many of the famous features of the ship will be kept and refurbished to their original state and every piece of memorabilia on the ship will be displayed so that our history is kept intact.

 

But now – overnight – Cunard has the youngest and most modern fleet in the cruise industry and the future for the brand is brighter than ever. Later that day, Carol and I walked off the ship together. As we did so, we were helped by some of our smiling staff. My lasting memory of QE2 will not be about all of the famous events, all the excitement, the millions of miles she’s travelled; quite simply it will be about the Ship’s Company. They are true heroes and it is they who made QE2 what she was – They Are Cunard!

 

So Alastair – it was awesome and hopefully I have tried to share with your bloggers how much fun it is to be making history. But now it’s about the future – Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth – The Most Famous Ocean Liners in the World. And we hope to see many thousands of our valued past QE2 guests travelling with us in the future as we continue to make history.

 

All the Best

 

Peter Shanks

 

PS – I thought we were meeting up for a curry in London?

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.

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.”