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And a brief history on design and decor of these rooms:
The layouts for QE2’s original First Class cabins, with the exception of the suites on One and Two Decks, were developed by Cunard naval architects who probably used Caronia (1949) as their principal inspiration for the cabin designs. Cabins on board QE2 were remarkably standardized considering British shipbuilding practices of the time which generally stressed a more tailormade approach – none more so in the layouts devised for these standard first class cabins. Indeed it was this design of Caronia’s cabins which became the prototype for a widely replicated first-class adaptation on board QE2 20 years later.
These rooms were arranged in mirrored pairs or near-identical layout and access to each pair of rooms was by way of doors facing each other across the ends of short beamwise alleyway. These semi-private passages, extending from the main corridors past the cabin bathrooms, allowed each pair of rooms to be combined by use of a third door at the secondary passage’s head. Additional connecting doors in the cabins themselves allowed greater numbers of rooms to be likewise joined. The comfort of side-by-side beds and generously upholstered easy chairs, convenience of abundant wardrobe and drawer space and luxury of spacious en-suite bathrooms with full-sized bathtubs, were ideally suited for long-duration worldwide voyages. Typically, each room would be nine-foot in diameter which seems small but most rooms could interconnect to form suites in accordance with the planning policy for the ship.
Designers for the cabins were appointed at a later stage during the building but the actual layouts of the rooms reflected many practical ideas and layouts done by the original design team and Lady Tweedsmuir, who was appointed as Cunard’s first lady director in 1965.
As on the original Queens, the dressing table, or writing desk, was located as a full-width fitment between the outer walls portholes rather than against the opposite wall to the foot of the beds as was more conventional. The bedroom area could be sealed off from the bathroom and wardrobe area as well as entrance by another door. The beds themselves were placed in the conventional head-on manner (as found on Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth) which meant they were unable to be used as sofas by day but made for greatest comfort while at sea. No double beds were placed on board – if any passenger wanted a double then the ‘Continental style’ of putting two single beds together was used.
Australian designer Jon Bannenberg was given the job of decorating these First Class cabins which were located midships on One, Two and Three Decks. He selected four different colour schemes (red, orange, pale blue and white and yellow ochre) and built-in furniture in one of three wood vaneers including rosewood, ash and cedar which was also used extensively on the walls. One scheme consisted of rosewood paneling, crushed raspberry bedspread and curtains, oatmeal coloured panels and white-coloured carpet with a thin diagonal scarlet stripe.
Another scheme featured a gold carpet, a narrow brown and black striped curtain and wall paneling, bright grass green chairs and an elegant white bed cove. A third variation had oatmeal panelling and curtains, and a vivid bedspread and chairs. The tops to the fixed furniture was in white Formica with a curved edge and all drawers had cut-out panels for handles. A free-standing leather-framed mirror on the dressing table had a fluorescent strip light concealed behind, and there was a reading lamp in aluminium above each bed.
All cabins were furnished with Hille Nimbus chairs and Arkana tables and stools. The coved ceiling with recessed down lighters was a fairly common feature throughout the ship.
As in all cabins there was air-conditioning, a six-channel radio and telephone and a lighting console plus call buttons (red for a steward to attend / green for a stewardess) for service.
Bathrooms had Modric fittings designed by Alan Tyw for G & S. Allgood in conjunction with Dennis Lennon. The 300 baths were Perspex – that material having proved itself worthy over a 10-year trial on Sylvania plus they saved about 41 tons in weight.
Over the years these cabins were refurbished in a variety of schemes as QE2 underwent regular changes and refitting:
Re-Engining
All first class staterooms (grades AA - H Doubles and UA - VC Singles) were equipped with a video recorder and personal safe for passenger valuables. (Many cabins within these grades were remodelled).
1992
The introduction of the new Princess Grill II necessitated the introduction of a new grade of stateroom (D2) to provide its clientele.
• 48 F graded rooms on Three Deck were upgraded to a new D2 grade standard with a décor of mauves and pale blues, similar to that found on the new Grill itself. New furniture was placed, new bathroom décor provided and all soft furnishings (carpets, curtains, bedspreads) were replaced. New installations included headboards for the beds, video recorders and electronic digital safes.
• The existing D grade became D1 grade with 4 E graded rooms on Two Deck being upgraded to D1 standard.
Passengers in either D1 or D2 were given the option of choosing which Princess Grill to dine in.
1994
The cabins themselves were redecorated and had new chairs installed while bathrooms in most were completely renewed.
1996
The new cabin grade of P3 was introduced in order to allow a more attractive lead-in price for the Princess and Britannia Grills.
1999 onwards
In the 1999 refit these cabins were redone in either burgundy (One and Two Decks) or blue (Three Deck) with the refurbishment including new carpets, curtains, bedspreads, valances and wall fabrics while all existing furniture was re-covered.
