QE2 - British Royal Family visits & reviews

[Pat Curry]

Wow.  You really do track it all down Bobso.  And what marvellous photos.   Many thanks.  It's been fun trying to name them though.
So exactly where was the group photo shot?

[bobso]

In reply to Queet-two---I don't know where EXACTLY the photo was taken but i am sure Rob or Myles will know.

[Twynkle]

  Quarter deck - walking along from the stern, through the Lido, then past the Queens Room, past the Chart Room, on the way to the Caronia Restaurant. It's along the covered promenade at about midships stbd, and in front of the great picture of RMS Mauritania (directly opposite the Ladies!)

[Pat Curry]

Yes   

Got it now. 

Thanks Rosie, I can really see the location in my mind now. The group picture is very evocative

I sailed with Commodores/Captains Warwick, Heath, McNaught, Perkins, Bates and Hasell.

And thanks as well  to Bobso, Cunard Queen, Isabel, et al for  'keeping the memory alive'.

[cunardqueen]

  In reply to Queet-two---I don't know where EXACTLY the photo was taken but i am sure Rob or Myles will know.   

Well given the fact that Her Majesty the Queen has ony ever visited QE2 a few times, it should narrow the time down.
But my bets are on the date when The Queen visited for the last time which was as we all know 2nd June 2008..
Now to narrow it down even further was this before or after lunch.....
Flagship might be persuaded to impart some further information about this historic visit..

[Pat Curry]

Well given the fact that Her Majesty the Queen has ony ever visited QE2 a few times, it should narrow the time down.
But my bets are on the date when The Queen visited for the last time which was as we all know 2nd June 2008..
Now to narrow it down even further was this before or after lunch.....
Flagship might be persuaded to impart some further information about this historic visit..

HM QE11 certainly must have felt sad about the demise of QE2 on her visit on 2 June 2008.  To come on her coronation anniversary shows in how much esteem she held the ship.  Shame she couldn't enjoy cruising on her like we could.  When Blair deprived her of Britannia and she visited Portsmouth to say goodbye, was I believe the only time she cried in public.  Dare say she was close on QE2.

But this forum has our very own Cunard Queen; and Myles you have achieved what is it  ?19 cruises with a total of what ? over 200 nights on board. ? 
Other than crew, It must rank high for time on board amongst forum members. Is this a new topic ?  How many nights on board?

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Quarter deck - walking along from the stern, through the Lido, then past the Queens Room, past the Chart Room, on the way to the Caronia Restaurant. It's along the covered promenade at about midships stbd, and in front of the great picture of RMS Mauritania (directly opposite the Ladies!)

In other words, move the jigsaw table, place the photographer where it stood, seat the group under the Mauretania picture and :

Click!

[cunardqueen]

   But this forum has our very own Cunard Queen; and Myles you have achieved what is it  ?19 cruises with a total of what ? over 200 nights on board. ? 
Other than crew, It must rank high for time on board amongst forum members. Is this a new topic ?  How many nights on board?   

Hmm the cruises depends on how exactly you count them, in the early days even though it was a round trip crossing ie 1 voyage you had seperate tickets and onboard you checked in for the return trip, so does that make it 2 trips or 1 trip?

But as you mention it l figured it was 17/ or 19 trips, and 147 days..but either way its not about how long or how short its about the fact that each and everyone of us on here "We were there" we took part in history, we sailed on the best ship ever, we skipped down the gangway, and put our faith and trust in dear old QE2, did she let us down? No never.

No matter the voyage count the heart always skipped a beat when you checked in and handed over your ticket, the bag tag hanging from your bag and the welcome back when you stepped onboard.....Each and every one of us was there..
 How it is with these new ships, when you print of your ticket, affix your downloaded bag tag, hand over the passport and step off the gangway to find the line of whoever is free waiting to smile at you, not daring to show you to your room, dont know about skipping a beat but lm having a heart attack at such a thought..But hey ho.. its called ,the carnival beancounters hard at work trying to skimp and save every penny they can !!  progress...dont know about progress but we never had it so good..and lm off topic

[Michael Gallagher]

The picture was taken just prior to lunch. The main guests were actually entering the Caronia Restaurant when this pic was taken.

[Rod]

"But as you mention it l figured it was 17/ or 19 trips, and 147 days..but either way its not about how long or how short its about the fact that each and everyone of us on here "We were there" we took part in history, we sailed on the best ship ever, we skipped down the gangway, and put our faith and trust in dear old QE2, did she let us down? No never. "

CQ. That was one thing that was instilled in me in the "OLD" Cunard. NOT through an indoctrination lesson or some White Star school... it was passed from old crewmember to new crewmember. It was not taught...it was expected!.
As Hotel Service Enginer we would get some pretty funky requests..... answer...ALL the time...lets see what we can do!
I have, since my retirement done 5 Disney Cruises...MANY ex Cunard people there. BUT could they or would they do the things we did? I have my doubts. Great cruises...don't get me wrong....but the Cunard mind set was not there.
And that what a lot of Cunard was...a mind set. You were a part of the greatest shiping company in the world. End of story.
Sadly that started to change as the bean counters became more important.

[Twynkle]

The picture was taken just prior to lunch. The main guests were actually entering the Caronia Restaurant when this pic was taken.

Hmm, Flagship!! Think you might mean the little-bit-less-than 'Main Guests' were actually entering the Caronia....!!
S'pose if you were to say 'lesser' guests, it would sound like some weird birds or other!

While we are thinking about Masters of QE2 -  please, can you recall the name of the Captain that has become 'unknown'?
It's fantastic to have gathered so many for the Queen's visit - did it happen on other occasions - or as this a unique event?
Thanks again for all your posts - they are a real treat!
Rosie

[Rod]

Hello Rod -
Have you had a go at clicking on the image in Bobso's post #19?
Otherwise, if you scroll down this link, then click on the image, it should work
http://www.qe2.org.uk/news.html

(If there was ever a gathering of QE2's Chiefs, did you take a photo?!)
Rosie.

As far as I know there never was.  But it could have been interesting to say the least.

[Rod]

Hmm, Flagship!! Think you might mean the little-bit-less-than 'Main Guests' were actually entering the Caronia....!!
S'pose if you were to say 'lesser' guests, it would sound like some weird birds or other!

While we are thinking about Masters of QE2 -  please, can you recall the name of the Captain that has become 'unknown'?
It's fantastic to have gathered so many for the Queen's visit - did it happen on other occasions - or as this a unique event?
Thanks again for all your posts - they are a real treat!
Rosie

Alex Hutcheson, for one!

[bobso]

Here is a link to the Queen saying farewell to the QE2---


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2065663/The-Queen-says-farewell-to-the-QE2.html