QE2 Story Forum
The QE2's Story (in-service) => The QE2 herself => Passenger Areas => Topic started by: Rob Lightbody on Mar 26, 2009, 08:37 AM
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A question, I am not sure if she had a casino on board in 1989. If not, when did she acquire one? Was it after Carnival bought Cunard?
It was there in 1987 and felt like a proper posh bit of the ship. It replaced the upper library but i can't remember when. QE2 in her prime served mostly American passengers and they expected her to have one! I liked it, its the only casino i've ever been to. Loved the late night dinner jacket, tobacco and whole James Bond type thing and i know i wasn't the only one!
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It was there in 1987 and felt like a proper posh bit of the ship. It replaced the upper library but i can't remember when. QE2 in her prime served mostly American passengers and they expected her to have one! I liked it, its the only casino i've ever been to. Loved the late night dinner jacket, tobacco and whole James Bond type thing and i know i wasn't the only one!
Agree with you wholeheartedly, Rob! It did have a James Bond type atmosphere, and I did on several occasions drag my heels around there.... ;D
But the fruit machines were a different matter. I just did not think they were worthy of QE2, and they made such a dreadful noise! Fascinating photographs got taken among them all the same, quite against QE2 rules I believe... for instance :
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3414295664/
And of course we had to huddle between the one-armed bandits on several occasions for our safety drill -- each time, that conjunction rather amused me...!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2689965637/
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A question, I am not sure if she had a casino on board in 1989. If not, when did she acquire one? Was it after Carnival bought Cunard?
I'll vouch for as early as 1977. At age 15, I remember sneaking a few quarters into the slot machines at the casino that was pretty near where the casino is (was) today. I'll have to dig in my stuff to see if there was one earlier.
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Yes!-My first real sit down on QE2 and chance to take it all in after boarding and unpacking was in the Casino (our designated Muster Station) in our lifejackets amongst the Fruits by the cashiers office
I enjoyed several nights after a show trying to look like Bond (unsuccessfully I might add) on the Blackjack Table with a whisky, but with me ultimately shaken and stirred when the 20 dollar limit I set myself ran out.
I have an idea that I may have seen one of those silver casino tokens with the nice coin like relief of QE2 on one side that might have somehow got mixed up with the general pocket change. If I find it I will of course forward it to Dubai
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I remember the Casino there in 1985 the port side, Upper Deck. The Starboard had the Theater Bar before it became the pub. Oh the good days….. :'( how I miss her.
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How noble of you there Kev!
Quite agree Isabelle and oh how we would all try to sneak a couple of shots in when we thought no-one was looking.
I recall having an argument there one morning with a very loud and obnoxious 'gentleman' of American persuasion (absolutely no offence intended to our Atlantic cousins here btw), while waiting patiently in line to check in for a tour. He and his party tried jumping the queue ahead of the pair of elderly ladies in front, which annoyed me to say the least and if there's one thing we Brits detest (or at least this one certainly does), it's queue jumpers. OK, so pound for pound he certainly had an advantage over me in that respect but I had the benefit of youth on my side (well, kinda stretching the truth a little there perhaps admittedly but I was definitely a good 20yrs younger), and descending from a former World champion heavyweight boxer (or so I'm told apparently), I wasn't about to back down without a fight so to speak. The rest of his party were clearly embarrassed by his antics and behaviour as I calmly pointed to to this big, loud shouty lump that what he was doing just wasn't cricket. He finally got the message and admitted defeat and for the remainder of the cruise whenever our paths would cross, as they invariably would, I would give him my bestest Paddington Bear hard stare. Poor chap probably hasn't recovered from his QE2 experience but he might just think twice about jumping queues in future. A victory for the little man!
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(http://www.roblightbody.com/liners/qe%2D2/1987/casino.jpg)
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That's never the young Lightbody I see before me is it?
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That's never the young Lightbody I see before me is it?
::)
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Rob is that in the casino or your cabin?!
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Obviously his cabin Kev (Grills you know ;) )
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That's right Andy-the 2 windows are a dead giveaway!
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That's right Andy-the 2 windows are a dead giveaway!
Mid-ships Suite? ;)
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All Text copyright © the author and The QE2 Story - not to be reused without permission
The original plans for QE2 had a Casino located on Promenade (Upper) Deck starboard side between the Main First-Class Lounge (Queens Room) Room and First-Class Nightclub (Q4 Room) in the space that would become the Conference Centre.
Jean Munroe had been appointed to design the space which was probably too small to be a proper Casino so it was planned that various machines could be accommodated in a flexible design which allowed various pieces of equipment to be brought in as necessary. David Hicks would later assume responsibility for the design of the Casino.
When Cunard’s New York lawyers heard of the plan to include a Casino in the new ship they raised the legal position in New York and Port Everglades as American regulations at the time prohibited gambling or casinos on ships while in US waters. The lawyers came to the conclusion that Cunard would run into “serious trouble” if a Casino had been built and that any such facility would have had to have been dismantled while QE2 was reaching New York or Port Everglades and while in those waters. This would have meant regular disruption given QE2’s scheduling and Crockfords, who were to run the Casino for Cunard, decided that it would not be an economic proposition from their point of view and that there would be an empty (non-revenue generating) space for long periods of time.
In December 1966 it was decided that a Casino would not be included in QE2’s public rooms with the space becoming a dedicated multi-purpose space and Conference Room.
However in February 1967 the prospect of including a Casino was raised again and various debates would continue throughout that year and 1968 but QE2 would not have a Casino when she entered service in 1969.
The regulations were relaxed somewhat in the early 1970s so Cunard installed a temporary Casino in the 736 Club on Boat Deck – called, appropriately, the 736 Sportsman Club. The famous Sportsman Club of London was responsible for running the facility.
Cunard’s new owners Trafalgar House were determined to maximise the profits from QE2 and while plans for additional accommodation and shops were being drawn up a Casino was included in the major 1972 rebuilding of QE2. Not only was a new Casino to be built to increase revenue but a new Casino had to be built as the 736 Club was to be transformed into the Queens Grill in that refit so a new location had to be found and therefore the beautiful Library and Port Foyer midships on Upper Deck was demolished and a new Casino built in the space.
The Casino featured its own bar and offered roulette, blackjack and other table games.
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Although it was a shame to lose the Upper deck library I must say that it was a great location for the Casino due to the thru traffic between the Grand lounge and the restaurant. A lot of ships I worked on had Casinos tucked out of the way as if the cruise line did not really want them! The US customs relaxed over the years, when I was first on the QE2 in 1988 we had flexible screens that would close off the area when not in use.
These were removed during the 1990 refit.
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All Text copyright © the author and The QE2 Story - not to be reused without permission
The 1990 Refit:
The Players Club Casino on Upper Deck underwent a dramatic transformation and improvement programme. Graham Fahye undertook a great deal of research over a 12 month period before the new design was finalised.
The existing area was enlarged by extending the Casino into the Photo Display Area (which was relocated next to the Theatre Bar). The new design incorporated a 1930s sty taking the Queen Mary as inspiration. Lighter colours using burl wood vaneer (a natural timber which was both sympathetic to the eye and created a sense of tradition) and a carpet with a rug-like affect were introduced. More gaming tables were added and the exiting tables were re-arranged to improve passenger flow and provide privacy for players with the gaming tables located in a new enclosed area while the main room and walkway was largely given over to slot machines.
The existing sit-up bar was removed and replaced with a new Cashier’s Office which was built in this space.
A focal point – a real feature – needed to be created so the designers commissioned a reproduction in etched glass panels of the North Atlantic map that hung in the Queen Mary’s First-Class Dining Room. Additionally, two specially commissioned paintings, showing Queen Mary’s Observation Bar and First-Class Dining Room, were hung.
The promenade area known as the Hideaway Bar between the Casino and the Mauretania Restaurant, located between the Casino and port entrance to the Mauretania Restaurant, was also redecorated along the lines of the Casino anbd made much more comfortable as a result with new sofas, chairs and tables and lamps created an intimate atmosphere.
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I remember meeting Mr Fahye a couple of times, really nice fella, very interested in older ship decor. He spent quite a bit of time on the Queen Mary in Long Beach to gather ideas for the refit. He personally painted the art deco embellishments using gold paint and stencils that were on the upper parts of the walls.
Graham also redesigned the Sagafjord Casino, he somehow managed to turn up at the refit in San Francisco in a London cab!!!!
The Map on the glass screens that divided the Tables from the machines was very nice, but was ruined by the fact that you could see the backs of the machines through it. Another big mistake from that refit was the slot machine room in the club lido, was forever having to chase kids out of there!!!
As seen in the photo below the slot machine bases were not that strong, this occurred on the first sailing from Southampton after the refit!!!!
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I liked very much what Graham Fahye wanted to do (and did) with the interiors - he handled the 1990 and 1992 refits and brought a heritage style to the areas he looked after such as the Casino and new carpeting. I had heard he spent time on Queen Mary to understand what ocean liners should look like. Fahye proposed in 1990 to open up the Midships Bar but Cunard rejected his plan - only for the company to open the room up and create the Chart Room in 1994.
His big jobs in 1990 were the Casino and new Princess Grill II and in 1992 the remodelling of the shops giving us the look and layout the shops had until the end of QE2 service.
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I'm curious as to Graham Fahye was involved in interior design work on QM2 etc???
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No he wasn't which is a shame. He was the main contender to undertake the design works for the big 1994 refit but the then (new) Chairman brought in his mate (Alex McCuaig) at MET Studio. I think MET did an amazing job but it would have been interesting to see what Graham Fahye would have achieved in 1994.
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Throwback Topic
Given that QE2 had a casinio, did any of us throw caution to the wind and hit the tables, or the slot machines. or was The Bingo enough for some of us ?
I must admit it was an area of QE2 i never at the time gave any thought to or even considered throwing money away. I do remember they had gaming lessons.
While perhaps the onboard Casino could never be in the same league as the ones in Sin City or perhaps the Ritz .
Did anybody have big wins, or big losses or both ! l seem to remember The Casino hideaway Bar for After Dinner Coffee ? Granted we were on a ship but why were the shops and Casino closed while in port "Due to customs regulations " What exactly were those regulations ? do they still apply to the Fun ships of today ?
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I joined the QE2 Casino staff as slot tech (THOSE awful noisy machines!) in May 1988. The Casino at that time looked terrible! Black painted ceilings, Green leather walls and Tan carpets! The 1990 refit made her look a lot better with faux woodwork and art deco accents, I see that the etched glass partition between the tables and slots is still in place. I must say that in comparison to other Casino operations I have worked in that London Clubs ran a class operation, the croupiers had to meet a high standard to get a contract onboard. Thoroughly enjoyed my time working there, saw several celebrities gambling, Telly Savalas was a notable regular.
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I enjoyed wandering through the Casino, while mildly inebriated, and wondering how on earth it all worked. One evening I remember someone was standing to win a huge amount of money, but I was never tempted simply because I didn't know how to. It had a nice atmosphere at night - lights kept very dim to give it atmosphere.
Did they ever do lessons? Presumably they could have even done that during the day if they didn't use real money?
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I don't know about the latter days but there used to be an "introduction to gaming" lecture held in the casino.
BTW Officers below 3 stripes were not allowed into the casino, not even to walk through.
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Regarding Casino Lessons, this was not really done in the earlier days as it was assumed that players would know the game so to speak. In later years the powers that be had us opening the tables at $1 minimum bet for the novices.....highly unpopular with the staff!!
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I'll add a couple stories here.
While not a big gambler, I did on occasion try my luck at Black Jack. As others have mentioned, just the allure of the "James Bond experience" was enough to part with a few of my dollars. No worries, the experience going after dinner with a few friends... tuxedo, drinks, cigar, was worth the price.
First pic here is a token I won sometime in the 90's. It was something I had never even heard of, but I was awarded for hitting Black Jack with 3 sevens.(usually you never hit on 14) Probably not worth much, but priceless to me. You'll note that it does actually sport the image of QE2 on the face.
Second pic shows a few chips I walked away with in my pocket, again in the late 90's. A few years later I returned to the Black Jack table, and pulled them out to play with. Little did I realize, but the concession had changed hands. The Manager was called over, and assured me that he would honor the (only a few dollars worth) tokens, but that I might be better served saving them for posterity, which is exactly what I did. I still have them. Again, not sure if they are worth anything more yet, but again, they are a prized part of my memories on board.
Last story. Unfortunately I cant find the picture.
Sometime after 2000.
After dinner, and on my birthday, I decided to try my luck again.
Because it was my birthday, I had happened to have my camera with me after coming from dinner.
I sat down to the (Black Jack) table I cashed in for $100 and happened to set my camera down on the edge of the table. Well, the manager didn't waste a moment to come over and reprimand me for that as a no-no. He suggested that he would take it to his stand and hold it for me while I played (understandable).
I placed a bet, and then he asked if I would like me to have him take my picture before he put it down. Well, there I was, on my birthday, on the QE2, in a tuxedo, at the casino... of course I said yes! As he took the photo... the dealer dealt my first hand. A Black Jack, right off the bat! That night I played my way up to over $300, and was smart enough to walk away after a very fun couple hours, ahead of the game, maybe for the first and only time on board. After the first hand, I was never playing with my own money.
Just another example of an absolutely magical stint of time I was lucky enough to spend on the Grand Old Lady.
Time of your (my) life
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What a great story! I never did get around to playing in the casino, and maybe I should have taken exactly the approach that you took.
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Can’t remember the date…it’ll come back to me
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I think that is pre 77 refit.
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The decor will be an indication of the year the photo was taken especially the light coloured chairs. Does anyone remember the Casino with this decor with this colour of chairs?
Michael Gallagher has posted on the Casino topic (https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=330.msg95895#msg95895) information about the changes to the Casino during the 1990 refit. He has also posted about the background to the Casino on QE2 (https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=330.msg95885#msg95885)
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The Casino is definitely post 1990 refit, I was part of the refit team and then stayed on as Slot tech through the 91 world cruise.
Casino was completely re-decorated, previously having Tan carpeting, Green walls and black ceilings...looked awful!
The new decor was a wood grain laminate on the walls, plush blue carpet and lighter ceilings.
The architect Graham Fahye wanted an art deco theme similar to the Queen Mary, there were gold art deco motifs
painted on the walls and heavy over stuffed sofas!
The old Bally slot machines were replaced with IGT electronic machines, way more reliable. The old Bally's ended up on
the ex RFA Sir Lancelot running as the Lowland Lancer Casino boat in Capetown SA.
Gaming tables and chairs were all replaced and a Craps table added.
I remember that the Casino bar was relocated into our old Staff rest area as a Bar service room. The staff rest area was moved into the areas behind the Theater where the interpreters booths were.
The attached photo posted before shows the result of a couple of heavy rolls leaving Southampton on the first post refit cruise....oops!
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James, I have merged your post with the QE2 Casino topic as the discussion is centred around the Casino.
Looking forward to hearing more about the Casino over the years.
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My experience with Casinos on board was Cunard Princess.
I was traveling as a passenger, to spend some time with my girlfriend at the time who just happened to be one of the dealers. We had asked if I was allo9wed to go in there and the Manager said yes but just to watch, you can play the slots though.
So one night armed with a handful of quarters, I started playing a machine. The slot mechanic who I knew from QE2 came over when I was a dollar down . He started berating me for wasting my money.
He opened the machine up did some fiddling inside and then told me to play. Put a quarter in and pulled....Jackpot!!! about &180 in quarters came tumbling out. The mechanic said there you go, you won. Now go away and don't come in again!
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We also have a fascinating topic here on the Casino gaming tokens :
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php?topic=7090.0
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I remember first stepping onboard QE2 in 88 I was rather disappointed by the public rooms!
The Casino where I was working had a black ceiling, green leather walls and rather worn tan carpet. The Slot machine bases were black metal and the wiring was in plain view. I had previously worked on ships that looked a lot nicer plus having visited the Queen Mary in LA I wondered if I was really on one of the legendary Queens.....
The 1990 refit certainly improved the look of the room.
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1988 to 1990!
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Nice one Michael...yep in that first photo it looks pretty dismal.
Of course shortly after leaving Southampton post refit things didn't look too good either :(