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Live from QE's 2014 World Voyage

Scrapnana

By Scrapnana,
in Cunard Line

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fantasy51

fantasy51

Posted
Posted
Wow, I would not ever think that pirates would be an issue on a WC; this is how naïve I am about this. Every day is a school day....;)

 

Hi Caron. I was on the last leg of QV's world cruise last April, getting on the ship in Dubai. It was a shock to have a pirate drill almost immediately.

 

I attended a lecture on the subject, in which we were told:

- staff would be manning stations around the clock, with water cannons (and I could see them there)

- there was a specialty armed unit on board under the direction of a pirate specialist

- any pirates would be fools to try to take on the QV because we are too big, access points are too high off the water for them, and how would a few pirates subdue 2,000 passengers?

- piracy in the area has decreased greatly because of all the work that the cruise ships have put into it

 

I didn't have one moment of worry - but I had a good story to tell afterwards.

 

Our drill position was to stand in the corridor. Don't stand in front of the door in case they shoot through it (presumably from the balcony - but I was in an Oceanview room so nowhere for them to stand outside); stand or sit by the wall because bullets would then have to go through the bathroom and the service hatches.

 

I think I'd prefer to be in the corridor than in the theatre in the event of an attack. At least it would give me somewhere to run and very few people in my way.

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cunardaddict

cunardaddict

Posted
Posted
:( Have to cancel whole trip and won't be joining you all in Sydney for trip all the way back home -medical stuff-no crisis but need to deal with a matter before a very long trip. DAMN:(

 

I can feel with you, but you have a chance next year. I don't as Cunard will not go around Cape Hoorn soon again. So look forward to the next year and best of luck!

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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted

Looks like QE is planning something special for Saturday's arrival in Sydney:

 

"Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will celebrate Sydney's international Mardi Gras festival with a spectacular arrival in the city on Saturday.

 

Mardi Gras performer Vanity Faire will balance on a 2.2 metre high glittering stiletto on the liner's top decks, with a multi-coloured, 126-metre cape flowing behind her.

 

Sydneysiders are being encouraged to head to the harbour foreshore to watch the event that will mark one of Australia's biggest celebrations of colour and diversity in the lead up to the evening's Mardi Gras parade through Sydney's streets.

 

The spectacle has been organised by Cunard Line to mark Queen Elizabeth's arrival during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival, which attracts thousands of national and international visitors." copied from http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?news_id=2010415&c=setreg&region=4

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rafinmd "Live from...." Rare

rafinmd

Posted
Posted

I will soon be embarking on my cruises and starting to rely on satellite internet. I won't be visiting this forum much but will be getting email updates on this thread. Will you be so kind as to post a heads up here when Cunard releases an extension of the transatlantic schedule.

 

Thanks,

 

Roy

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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted
Usually the ships arrive into Sydney around 6am. I wonder what time the QE 2 will arrive then.

 

Pusha, the Sydney Port Schedule has her arriving at 07:00 on 1 March, departing at 21:00 on 2 March. [source: http://shipschedule.sydneyports.com.au/Marineoperations/movements.asp]

 

But the Cunard schedule has her arriving at 06:00. [source: https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/dress_code_all]

 

Maybe someone on board now has more current information? Cheers, -S.

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Kiwi Kruzer

Kiwi Kruzer

Posted
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Pusha, the Sydney Port Schedule has her arriving at 07:00 on 1 March, departing at 21:00 on 2 March. [source: http://shipschedule.sydneyports.com.au/Marineoperations/movements.asp]

 

But the Cunard schedule has her arriving at 06:00. [source: https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/life-on-board/dress_code_all]

 

Maybe someone on board now has more current information? Cheers, -S.

 

Costa Deliozia is also in Sydney for 2 days at Circular Quay from Fri , then she is scheduled to move at 5.30am Sat morning and anchor at Athol ,a buoy in the harbour , to allow QE to have the Passenger Terminal for both Sat and Sun.

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Pushka

Pushka

Posted
Posted (edited)
The Daily Programme says we will be passing the Heads at 7 am and docked at 8:30. We saw the banner in Auckland (they were testing it) and it is huge..

 

That's great timing for photos. Usually it's dark getting through the heads. Looking a bit showery though.

 

There's a photo of the banner on the boards. It's really big. :p

 

Thanks to KiwiKruzer

6ypu5ary.jpg

Edited by Pushka
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fantasy51

fantasy51

Posted
Posted
The Daily Programme says we will be passing the Heads at 7 am and docked at 8:30.

 

We saw the banner in Auckland (they were testing it) and it is huge.

 

We were told we would be the "Queen of the Mardi Gras".

 

Ah, the Heads! In December I was back in Australia and stayed with friends in Queenscliff and we could watch all the ships going through the Heads. Being keen cruisers, we looked for cruise ships. Mostly we saw the Tasmanian ferry.

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Pushka

Pushka

Posted
Posted (edited)
Ah, the Heads! In December I was back in Australia and stayed with friends in Queenscliff and we could watch all the ships going through the Heads. Being keen cruisers, we looked for cruise ships. Mostly we saw the Tasmanian ferry.

 

 

The Tasmanian ferry doesn't go to Sydney, it berths in Melbourne. And there are no heads in Melbourne. :p

Edited by Pushka
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fantasy51

fantasy51

Posted
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Sorry, Pushka, but there are Heads out of Melbourne. It is the only access for shipping to Melbourne itself. I've just googled it and can see that it is also called 'The Rip' - but my Victorian friends and I always call it 'the Heads'. (You'll notice that Wiki uses both terms, showing how generally used it must be in the area.)

 

Here's what Wiki says:The rip is generally considered to be located in the triangular area of water between the land points of Point Nepean, Shortlands Bluff and Point Lonsdale. The entrance between Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean is 3.5 km wide but the reefs projecting from these points reduce the navigable width to about 1 km. Within 800m outside the Heads, there is a shallow rocky flat known as the Rip Bank. The water deepens outside this flat to 30m and inside the Heads to as much as 90 m. This inequality of depth combined with tidal streams running up to 6 knots, causes the world-renowned dangerous conditions. The variation in seafloor depth within the rip itself can be anywhere from 100m to less than 5m amongst the rocky reefs and shoals.

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Pushka

Pushka

Posted
Posted (edited)

I think most Aussies (and maybe anyone not from Melbourne) would only think of Sydney when talking about the Heads.

 

GOOGLE Australia. The Heads. And Melbourne doesn't get a Guernsey.

Edited by Pushka
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Salacia

Salacia

Posted
Posted
The banner appears to be being blown about somewhat and I think it's raining (the webcam view keeps changing)

 

http://www.captiveye-therocks.com/camera_ds/camera.htm

 

Meanwhile, here's the ship's webcam

 

14uc1hv.jpg

 

 

Thanks Ray. I tried several times today to access the ship webcam but it was down. I hope someone took some photos today. Cheers, S.

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