QE2's Final Voyage

[Colin_Cameron]

I'm thinking, although with some reservations, about sailing on QE2's final voyage. But which one is it?

 

Everything I have read in the last couple of days says "She will remain with the fleet until 11th November 2008" . This is the day that she returns from her Mediterranean Odyssey cruise. So who's running the Dubai trip which leaves on that date?

 

Cunard are selling it, but surely if she were still a Cunard ship she would leave the fleet on 27th November, on arrival in Dubai?

 

Regards, Colin.

[Fifer]

I'm thinking, although with some reservations, about sailing on QE2's final voyage. But which one is it?

 

Everything I have read in the last couple of days says "She will remain with the fleet until 11th November 2008" . This is the day that she returns from her Mediterranean Odyssey cruise. So who's running the Dubai trip which leaves on that date?

 

Cunard are selling it, but surely if she were still a Cunard ship she would leave the fleet on 27th November, on arrival in Dubai?

 

Regards, Colin.

 

Colin,

 

I talked to the UK Cunard people and they seemed to think that it would be a 'normal' voyage. Although quite how normal it will actually be is anyone's guess. If it is carrying fare-paying pax sold by Cunard then I would guess that Cunard will do all they can to make it memorable. It is the last departure from Southampton after all... and that will be very emotional for all of us.

 

We are on the Autumn Colours trip this year and will get our final TA fix and a New York visit, so the last voyage seems to us to be the right thing to do. Whether we can get a cabin in what is likely to be real scrum on the 27th is another question of course.

 

Gavin

[Lanky Lad]

I would say the cruise leaving on the 11th November 2008 will be the last voyage. I am already booked on the 27th October 2008 cruise and trying to decide if I want to stay in Southampton to watch her leave for the very last time. Part of me wants to watch, but another part thinks it will be too much to take.

[Kindlychap]

I would say the cruise leaving on the 11th November 2008 will be the last voyage. I am already booked on the 27th October 2008 cruise and trying to decide if I want to stay in Southampton to watch her leave for the very last time. Part of me wants to watch, but another part thinks it will be too much to take.

 

I don't want to be on the final voyage for the same reason. It will be bad enough leaving New York for the last time - assuming I get a cabin - but the final voyage from Southampton would be too much.

 

At least, assuming we get the back to back, we'll know that someone will be in our cabin after us, and the ship will see the open ocean after us. It's where she belongs, and where her home is.

 

Matthew

[Colin_Cameron]

I would say the cruise leaving on the 11th November 2008 will be the last voyage.

 

I know this will be the last voyage of the ship, the vessel, the metalwork, but will it still be Cunard's QE2? Why have they chosen to say that she leaves the fleet on Nov 11th if it isn't true.

 

BTW my reservations about booking this cruise have nothing to do with an emotional attachment to QE2.

[pnhmrk]

Why have they chosen to say that she leaves the fleet on Nov 11th if it isn't true.

 

Could it just be that Cunard are showing yet again that they don't know their a*** from their elbow:D - As long as it sounds good that's all they care about.

[cunardqueen]

Originally Posted by Colin_Cameron

Why have they chosen to say that she leaves the fleet on Nov 11th if it isn't true.

 

Surely to god this doesnt mean an Arab Captain at the helm.....

 

BTW my reservations about booking this cruise have nothing to do with an emotional attachment to QE2.

 

Are you hoping to combine it with a holiday out there?

[Cunard Cruiser]

Just called Cunard (LA) and they said she leaves Nov 11th but they still own her until Nov17th. So the hand off will be on Nov 17th after all passengers disembark. Can't believe I just typed the last sentence.

[Colin_Cameron]

... an Arab Captain at the helm.....

 

...any officer they (the new owners) can lay their hands on. Crew pulled from wherever. Contract caterers, wait-staff and cleaners. "Cunard", "Queen", "2" and "Southampton" hastily painted out, and "Dubai" spray painted across the stern. I'm sure none of the above will happen, but...

 

Even if Cunard are still running things I can foresee problems. I know that their (the company, not the staff) attitude towards the passengers on Caronia's last voyage contributed to our decision to cruise with another company last year after 20 consecutive Cunard cruises. Running out of various things as soon as the journey started. "I'm sorry Sir. Our stock of ... was removed in Southampton to be transferred to QM2", was repeated so often it bacame a joke, even amoung the staff. At the trivia quiz we were told to be sure to return all the pencils as they were needed on QM2. We were due to meet up with QM2 during our cruise and were advised by our wine steward that if there was any special wine we wanted for later in the voyage, to let him know so he could hide it because the majority of the remaining stock was being transferred. One of our tablemates was told by a bar-steward that they didn't have her favourite vodka, when she pointed to a bottle she was told, "Sorry madam. All unopened bottles have been stockchecked and are to be moved over to QM2. I'm really sorry." That was a sell-out cruise filled with loyal repeat passengers, as I'm sure this one will be. And we were returning to Southampton, the stock could have been moved after our return, we're not talking about perishable goods here.

 

What about all the display cases of memorabilia - would you want to pay to ship all that stuff back from the middle-east?

[travel-to-go]

If you would like to read something that will suck your guts out and give you a picture of what is likely to come, there is an excellent web page and description of SS Canberra's final voyage, the de-storing and handing over to the new crew, along with her trip to the breakers.

I have read it numerous times and still cannot do so without crying. And I never knew this ship!

An excerpt:

She came alongside and began to make fast her lines to the music of a military marching band. Then it was over. Every VHF radio for miles around crackled with the countdown to Rory Smith's command to "Finish with engines" - following which were the sounds of hundreds of boats blowing their whistles and horns. The boats and the crowds began to disperse, and then the final passengers disembarked and everything was quiet again. It was then time for a massive crew party!

 

The following evening, Canberra had to make room for Oriana, so in the darkness she was shifted to the recently vacated 38/39 berth - home of the QE2. As she came alongside, a few of the Indian crew stood on the Promenade Deck watching the quayside activity, whilst further forward others were playing on the passenger ping-pong table - something that would have been unthinkable just a short time before. With the ship safely alongside and the telephone landline in place, de-storing would start in earnest. The process of de-storing had been well planned.

 

There was a 36-page exclusion list of things that would not be included in the sale of the ship (buyer and future role were still not known - at least publicly - at the time) and these would all be removed for transfer to other ships and storage facilities. Coloured tape had been delivered during the call at Piraeus on the Farewell Cruise. Boxes and pallets marked with red tape would be de-stored first. These were due to be transferred to Oriana and she would be back in Southampton on the 2nd and the 5th of October. Yellow tape indicated things for Victoria, whilst blue would be for Arcadia. White taped goods may be destined anywhere else. Tamper-proof tape had also been delivered at Piraeus for the high value goods. Cabin C71 was designated the de-storing meeting room, where heads of departments met at 1730hrs each evening. Twenty foot steel shipping containers were loaded onto A Deck aft and filled before being lifted to trucks.

 

There had still been no announcement about Canberra future. Despite repeated questions by local news reporters, P&O's Gwyn Hughes was unable or unwilling to provide an answer. Would she be scrapped? Would she be sold as a floating museum or hotel? One thing was certain, P&O would not let Canberra operate anywhere as an ocean-going ship. The de-store schedule estimated completion on 10th October, with the passenger gangways and fire detection equipment being some the last items to go ashore. That morning, in a press statement, P&O announced Canberra would be sailing that evening to a scrap merchant in Pakistan, where she would be broken up.

 

See the entire story here, along with other items from her history and a COMPLETE set of engineering plans, from the bowels to the top, including her funnels.

http://www.sscanberra.com/hist6fweek.htm

 

I feel certain that this is going to be quite similar to what is to come for our Queen (who, as you see, was mnetioned in this article) maybe on a lesser scale, since she will not be broken up.

 

Karie,

who spent weeks reading every word, viewing every picture on the Canberra page. It is a remarkably well done web site.

[dak]

 

Even if Cunard are still running things I can foresee problems. I know that their (the company, not the staff) attitude towards the passengers on Caronia's last voyage contributed to our decision to cruise with another company last year after 20 consecutive Cunard cruises. Running out of various things as soon as the journey started. "I'm sorry Sir. Our stock of ... was removed in Southampton to be transferred to QM2", was repeated so often it bacame a joke, even amoung the staff. At the trivia quiz we were told to be sure to return all the pencils as they were needed on QM2. We were due to meet up with QM2 during our cruise and were advised by our wine steward that if there was any special wine we wanted for later in the voyage, to let him know so he could hide it because the majority of the remaining stock was being transferred. One of our tablemates was told by a bar-steward that they didn't have her favourite vodka, when she pointed to a bottle she was told, "Sorry madam. All unopened bottles have been stockchecked and are to be moved over to QM2. I'm really sorry." That was a sell-out cruise filled with loyal repeat passengers, as I'm sure this one will be. And we were returning to Southampton, the stock could have been moved after our return, we're not talking about perishable goods here.

 

 

I can confirm all of Colin's comments. It was at Lisbon (Caronia's final port of call before Southampton). It was also QM2's maiden call to Lisbon. The ship was a hive of activity as the "decanting" process began as described by Colin. This was further compounded by the uncertainty of the staff situation on board as I described in an earlier post. This is, of course, the same crew who fabricated their own paying-off pennant (based on St Gearge's Cross -- Why???) from whatever material was available because Cunard would not sanction it. David Perkins (Master) did.

 

Karie is quite correct. The QE2 send off requires to be more dignified and I sincerely hope that it will be.

 

David

[cunardqueen]

Do we really want to be on her Voyage to Dubai?It seems strange that they havent billed this as the farewell voyage.

The thought of a flight home afterwards doesnt appeal to me and with a suitcase full of souvenirs the luggage limitations would be a problem !

As for it being a "normal" voyage in Cunards terms One can only hope that they will fly the pennent (ten feet for evey year of service) proudly from the mast and afford the QE2 the send of which she deserves.

Perhaps then they might have a brass band and sail her up the river to bid goodbye to the many thousands of well wishers before turning round at the mayflower terminal to sail down Southampton Water.

As its a one way voyage, Can we really expect to have the ship intact? What about all the onboard items pictures,display cases library books etc etc has all this been "sold" along with the ship as well. Not to mention all the food/wine stock or will this have been gently run down so that half way there they run out of everything?

Not to mention when QE2 finally arrives isnt there a ceremony when they ring "finished with engines" or even the handing over cememony after the ship docks?

Cheers

Myles