Queen Mary 2 To Be Stretched????

[Captain Rhone]

I found this article but I know that it is with someother actual true info,not April Fool's stuff so I was wondering if anyones knows about this?

 

Cunard Line has announced that for many more years to come its acclaimed flagship, "Queen Mary 2", will continue to be the biggest (148,528 gt), the longest (1,132 feet), the tallest (236 feet) the widest (135 feet) and, at a cost of US$ 800 million, the most expensive passenger ship in history.

 

"'Queen Mary 2' has proven to be extremely popular with our valued guests, and in order to be able to give even more people from around the globe an opportunity to sail in this already legendary liner, we proudly announce that 'QM2' will undergo a 'chop-and-stretch' operation this upcoming fall," Cunard spokeswoman April Scherz said.

 

"Queen Mary 2" will return to her birthplace, the renowned Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France, in October. There, a pre-fabricated, 98 ft. middle section will be added by cutting the ship in half and then inserting the section. This will increase the ship's length to 1230 feet and its gross tonnage to 186,000 gt.

 

Construction on the new "QM2" section has commenced at the St. Nazaire shipyard. It will include 231 additional staterooms and suites, as well as some exciting new public spaces, on which details will be announced, soon.

 

As a result of "Queen Mary 2's" extended drydocking during which the "stretching operation" will be carried out, the ship's October 14th, 20th, 16th, and November 1st trans-Atlantic crossings have been cancelled. Passengers on the affected sailings who will receive attractive alternative offers will be contacted by Cunard within the next couple of weeks.

 

Ocean voyaging has inspired many works of art and literature during the Golden Age of Travel. Now, Cunard's iconic "Queen Mary 2" has become the first-ever ocean liner to inspire a clothing line by one of America's most revered design houses: Lilly Pulitzer. The new collection, called Hail to the Queen, will debut this spring in stores throughout the US. "It is a great compliment to have a clothing company of Lilly Pulitzer's caliber theme an entire line around 'Queen Mary 2,'" says David Gevanthor, vice president of marketing for Cunard Line. "We were delighted to have inspired the Lilly Pulitzer design team to create a collection that exudes a timeless sensibility. 'Queen Mary 2' appeals to a more genteel style of travel and leisure."

 

"I was enchanted by 'Queen Mary 2' during a recent Transatlantic crossing," says Sandi Davidson, Vice President and Creative Director for Lilly Pulitzer. "It was on this memorable voyage that Hail to the Queen, Lilly Pulitzer's Summer 2005 collection, was first conceived."

 

A tribute to the timeless elegance of ocean travel, Hail to the Queen was inspired by "Queen Mary 2's" glamorous restaurants, lavish stateroom accommodations, spectacular entertainment and the elegance of a more genteel era. Cunard's "Queen Mary 2" has re-defined the luxury ocean liner for the 21st century, combining more than 160 years of tradition with modern innovations hardly dreamed of only a few years ago.

 

The Summer 2005 Lilly Pulitzer signature print, Junk on the Trunk, is a tribute to vintage travel trunks, featuring nautical details, images from exotic ports of call and tropical flowers in traditional Lilly Pulitzer bright colors. The Hail to the Queen collection features flowing skirts, wide leg pants and novelty dresses in airy summer fabrics like cotton eyelet, linen, and silk charmeuse - all perfect for vacation and travel. Selected items in the collection pay homage to "Queen Mary 2's" many dining and entertainment venues: Golden Lion, inspired by the ship's traditional English pub; Winter Garden, elicited by the elegant room serving the British ritual of afternoon tea; Illuminations, a glow-in-the dark print inspired by "Queen Mary 2's" dreamy planetarium, the only one afloat, and the beautiful white-on-white Queen's Floral print - there is a unique pattern to suit any taste. All prints are offered in a number of fun and feminine styles, perfect for summer barbecues, graduations or weddings.

 

It's from the site "Ruderhaus" at http://cb.ruderhaus.de/ in the latest issue.

[guernseyguy]

Cunard spokeswoman April Scherz said.

 

 

Scherz is German for 'Joke'.......

 

Peter

[2moose]

It Would Be Much Easier If They Just Used A Steel Stretcher To Increase The Size Of Theqm2. Save Time And Money Too!!!! Right????

[Captain Rhone]

Quite Strange...I thought that the name if you even want to call it that looked weird...It was also strange to put it with all the other stuff that is actually true! It actually would be interesting to see them add something new already. Just like the QE2's first refit...

[transat_jon]

Definite April Fool (even if the name didn't give it away)

 

The QM2 hull design is very complex and adding anything in the middle would disrupt the flow and increase skin friction. She would probably not be able to manage six day eastbounds if there was any weather in the pond. There is no practical way of increasing the power to match a stretch to keep the same speed capability.

 

Stretching is usualy done to ageing ships trying to keep them profitable in secondary markets, not on a brand new ship where it has not even near to clearing it's initial building costs.

[Navaleye]

Actually, she may go faster. Adding length normally increases a ships speed (to a point) not the reverse.

 

Also, I've never heard a German crack a joke and had no idea they even had a word for one. :)

[dougnewmanatsea]

Also, I've never heard a German crack a joke and had no idea they even had a word for one.

Well, Raoul (who wrote the above) has a good sense of humor :) .

 

Way back when (well, only two years ago, but it seems like an eternity), I wrote a fake April Fools' press release that UNITED STATES was bought by NCL. We all know how that turned out. They actually announced it not long after (to my complete and utter astonishment), which gave me quite a bit of fun with people who said my joke wasn't plausible ;) .

 

Just for fun, and old time's sake, here is my two-year-old joke... Remember this is written in April 2003, when NCL was just getting into the Hawaii game:

 

MIAMI, 1 April 2003 - Star Cruises subsidiary Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd., in light of the recent approval for them to operate three US-flag ships in Hawaii, today announced that the flagship of their new brand Norwegian Hawaiian Cruises will be the long-mothballed former US flagship, SS UNITED STATES.

 

The ship will retain her present name, and will get a blue hull and a livery similar to that of NCL's famed SS NORWAY. Industry experts speculate that the refurbishment of the ship will likely include the addition of new luxury suites and a new, fuel-efficient diesel-electric or gas turbine powerplant. Norwegian Hawaiian will introduce new funnel colors and a new logo and brand image capitalizing on the American and Hawaiian roots of the company. The "Norwegian" name will be retained to show the connection with the parent company. A high-ranking NCL official citied the NCL name's brand recognition as the reason for retaining the "Norwegian" brand.

 

In a press conference today unveiling the name of the new brand and that of their soon-to-be flagship, NCL CEO Colin Veitch said, "we at NCL and now Norwegian Hawaiian Cruises are extremely excited to be playing a role in returning the US merchant fleet to its former grandeur. We look forward to seeing the SS UNITED STATES back into service as the crown jewel of the NCL and Star Cruises fleet and as the flagship of this new operation which will surely mark a milestone in the history of American passenger shipping."

 

Sen. Daniel Inyoue (D-HI), also attending the press conference said, "Hawaii will be proud to become the home state of the most magnificent ship America has ever seen. We would like to thank NCL for their dedication to the tourism industry of our state and to the revival of US-flag passenger service in Hawaii."

 

Sen. Inyoue was instrumental in passing the act of Congress which would allow the foreign-owned NCL to own and operate US-flag ships in Hawaii.

 

NCL stated that major European yards are presently competing for the contract to rebuild SS UNITED STATES to NCL's specifications. The bill that was passed allowing NCL to star US-flag operations permitted the vessel to be built at a foreign shipyard. An NCL spokesperson said that further details of the new Hawaiian operation will be available shortly.

 

The operation will also include two ships partially built in Missisippi under the name "Project America", originally intended to revive US-flag passenger service. Their owner, American Classic Voyages, went bankrupt and ceased operations shortly after the September 11th terrorist attacks. NCL will be the first foreign company to operate US-flag ships in US coastwise service. The vessels will be completed at Germany's Lloyd Werft shipyard, with which NCL has held a close relationship since they handled the converison of the ocean liner SS FRANCE to NCL's flagship Caribbean vessel SS NORWAY in 1980. It is expected that Lloyd Werft will win the contract for the UNITED STATES conversion.

 

Spokespeople for Lloyd Werft and for the present owners of the SS UNITED STATES declined an interview for the purpose of this story.

 

---

 

Of course there is a bit of fantasy in there with the gas turbines etc. - my personal idea of what I'd have liked NCL to do with her (and what I'd still like them to do with her).

[KenC]

Good Joke - but apart from the structural implications, QM2 is at her maximum length for turning in Southampton so it would be as likely as adding a taller funnel.

 

Mind you, who would have thought two years ago that the Queen Victoria would be arriving in Southampton today painted all white with a big yellow funnel and the name Arcadia on her bow. Actually she looks quite good compared to the HAL Vistas.

[KenC]

For your delight here's a link to P&O's Arcadia arrival photos

 

http://www.pocruises.co.uk/ships/arcadiaMicrosite/arcadiaExperience/namingGrandArrival.asp

 

 

Can't wait to do the Panama Canal in her at New Years