Cabins for servants

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

During a cabin cavalcade in 2008, one of our friends had a tiny inside cabin, not much bigger than the space needed for a bed and a washbasin if I remember well, and we were fascinated.

Would this have been one of the little cabins designed for servants and attached to the larger cabins or suites of the employers?

[Michael Gallagher]

Isabelle

There were around 30 such 'servants' cabins that were attached the First Class Cabins (not suites) that could be combined to form a two-room cabin with the 'servant' space attached to the combine two-rooms. So, three cabins in total as it where. Cabin3047 (below) is an examle of 'servant' space.

Michael

[Michael Gallagher]

But there were other cabins with a washbasin inside the cabin instead of / as well as inside the bathroom as seen here...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thank you very much, Michael. Great to see the photos!

I suppose these cabins were later more often in demand for parents with children .

[Brandon Sterkel]

Saw this type of cabin in the QE2 Winter Cabin Calvacade video and always wondered what grade/original purpose was.

Thank you Michael for providing us with photos and more information!

[Twynkle]

Thank you so much , Michael.
This a really interesting topic!
(Hopefully, I won't be ex-communicated for the plentiful number of questions!

Regarding 'Servants' - were there special policies on earlier Liners?
Was it an innovation to have servants' cabins on ships in 1960s?

On board QE2, might the designated 'Servant's quarters' have been used for members of the Crew's Friends / Family?
About the life of a 'servant' on board  QE2 - this could have been a Children's Nanny, a Ladies Maid, or - a Gentleman's Gentleman , a Chauffeur- or a Private Nurse, and Butler even - or a Companion.
Just wondering - where did they take their meals? Spend any time off duty?
Or were they there simply like passengers in transit between two ports?

I'm aware that this link could be deemed wildly Off Topic - However women on ship have only recently been fully 'integrated' as Crew members.
https://www.marinersmuseum.org/sites/micro/women/timeline/index.htm

[Michael Gallagher]

These type of cabins would have been incorporated into the very early design for Q4 and probably copied from Q3 - when each design was for a three-class ship. And they certainly carried on the what was offered on the original Queens when certain First Class passengers would travel with staff - rather than servants I think they would have been a Butler or Secretary etc. When the design of QE2 was redone as a two-class ship not much was done to the cabin layout or specifications so these cabins were not relevant by the time she entered service in 1969.

Not sure where they would have eaten Rosie but they were not ship crew they would have been able to eat and enjoy the passenger areas / facilities when not butlering or typing another letter!

[Twynkle]

Firstly - Thank You!
Possibly then, Butlers were in transit, rather than working their passage...
What fun they must have had!  
(btw - I wonder when ships' own Butlers (as crew) were first introduced).

[Michael Gallagher]

It was either Royal Cruise Line or Royal Viking Line that introduced Butlers at sea in the mid 1980s. Royal Cruise Line was very innovative - they were the first to introduce Gentleman Hosts.

[cunardqueen]

This is a picture of The Maids bedroom in The Queen Mary Suite on Queen Mary in Long Beach. 

[Andy Holloway]

In 2001 two of my children travelled with me and were allocated one of these 'servants cabins', on 3 deck i think it was.

They loved it as it had bunk beds, not something they were familiar with!
Yes it was slightly small but, very cosy none the less.

When they found the cabin on boarding, they were unable to work out how to drop the top bunk bed, so the stewardess as called, who also had no idea! Then the Deck Supervisor was called and eventually the top bunk was dropped, amid a cloud of dust! Cue a slightly irate Deck Supervisor and very embarrassed cabin stewardess. It appears that the top bunk had  not been used in years as these cabins were often occupied by entertainers/company staff/contractors etc, non revenue passengers.

I think i posted this story some time ago but can't seem to be able to find it now.

[Rod]

Weren't there "servants cabins" 1 deck forward as well maybe 1005, 1007?

[Michael Gallagher]

Rod

The forward 'servants' cabins on One Deck were 1004, 1005, 1010 and 1011.

Michael

[Rod]

Rod

The forward 'servants' cabins on One Deck were 1004, 1005, 1010 and 1011.

Michael

Well I got one right after 30 years?
Engineers used 1001 etc for many years as there was not enough room on Sports deck.

[Andy Holloway]

Andy

Hope you're well?

The Thatchers used the Aquitania Suite on 14 June 2002 when the attended the 20th Anniversary Falklands function.

Michael

Very well thank you, just got back from 7 weeks in NZ, Christchurch to Auckland clock wise, 3500+ miles.
Lovely to finally see the sights that all i ever knew was what my wife or other passengers told me about the place, stunning scenery. The odd sheep or two here and there!!!!

Sun Princess was in Port Chalmers when we were staying across the harbour, Dunedin was swamped with 'b&o&dy cruise ship passengers!

What was interesting though was to view Port Chalmers from The Albatross Colony/Harrington Point area and realise that QE2 was able - just - to manouver in and out through the very narrow entrance to Port Chalmers/Dunedin harbour.
Also was able to visit Lyttleton - the harbour for Christchurch - always loved that call, sadly since the earthquake, no longer visited. They have one of only a handful of 'time balls' at Lyttleton, now a small museum.