QE2 refits

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Another time the ship was scheduled for drydocking at Wilton Feynoord in Rotterdam  as i am a born Dutchie it was the weirdest experience to sail up the new Waterway at hook of Holland on this huge ship as i believe she had never been to Rotterdam before,unfortunately i was assigned nightwatch duties and could not leave the ship imediately to go and vist my family who at the time lived in The Hague only 30 min by train,but after a lot of begging and explaining the situation i was allowed to leave the ship and go home for a week.I was also allowed to bring my family back on board to show them around,but the security was very strict at the time being in drydock.
The ship sailed out of the New Waterway late at night after having been in the drydock for almost 2 weeks  and arrived in Southampton early the next morning .
What an experience
Charles

That must have been a fabulous experience, Charlie -- I hope your family enjoyed the visit! What was it like, seeing the whole exterior of QE2 in dry dock and managing to get into the ship?

This would have been the refit of 3 to 21 December, mentioned by flagship above. It seems to have been the only time she had a refit in Rotterdam -- I wonder what was being done there, and why she never returned for another one?

[Michael Gallagher]

My notes on the Rotterdam refit:

Three weeks
3 – 21 December
Schiedam, Rotterdam and Southampton
TOTAL COST: £647,000
Captain: M Hehir


On 23 August 1974 Cunard confirmed that QE2 would be refitted in Rotterdam during her annual overhaul in 1974 – the first time the vessel would go to a non-UK yard for refitting.

A Cunard statement:

   “The work of QE2’s annual overhaul was offered to Vosper Thornycroft Ltd at Southampton, but the company were unable to take it on because of prior work. The ship was then offered to Scott Lithgow on the Clyde, but they were also unable to undertake the work”.

In addition to usual range of overhaul work, this refit would focus on preparing the ship for her Maiden World Cruise in 1975 and it was this added focus (plus the problems with ‘added work’ during the 1972 refit) which persuaded Vosper Thornycroft, who had other ships to handle at the same time, to refuse to accept QE2. The seven-day schedule was also a factor. Vosper Thornycroft emphasised that their reputation would suffer if they took on too much work, then upset owners by not completing jobs on time.

Despite these facts there was still a furore of protest from the media, unions and official bodies.

An amount of £407,000 was allowed for normal overhaul work, covering both technical and furnishing repairs; some £150,000 was spent of insurance work and £90,000 was spent on capital items.

QE2 entered Dry-Dock on 4 December and left on 19 December.
?
REPAIRS

While at the yard, permanent repairs were made to the two emergencies that befell QE2 in 1974.

•   Permanent repairs were undertaken in the engine room after temporary repairs had been made following QE2’s breakdown off Bermuda in April.

•   After QE2 had struck the quay in Cherbourg on 27 October temporary repairs to the gash in the ship’s side had been made by the French navy. Now, permanent repairs were undertaken and further shell dents found below the waterline that had been discovered in Rotterdam were repaired and crew and passenger cabins damaged in the collision received attention.


RETURN TO SERVICE

The crew were flown out to rejoin QE2; on the passage back to Southampton they had the task of making QE2 ready to embark passengers.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

So there we have it. Thank you, Michael, for all these answers!

Very interesting to read how it came about that the work was offered to a non-UK shipyard, and to shake one's head at the outcry which followed.

It seems that Rotterdam was even able to cope with extra work, which was only discovered when QE2 was already in her dry dock. And yet, she never returned there...

It is great to read the stories about her life that keep emerging here. I shall have a good look at that quay in Cherbourg next year -- and think of the poor worker who lost a leg trying to tame QE2 that day...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Here are three photos by Southdinista of QE2 in the King George V dry dock in Southampton in the 1980s (must have been after the re-engining) :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/15452339@N04/5275009052
https://www.flickr.com/photos/15452339@N04/5275008380
https://www.flickr.com/photos/15452339@N04/5275007654

[Louis De Sousa]

One more of her in dry dock

[Louis De Sousa]

Another photo of the mess in a refit

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

One more of her in dry dock

Great pictures, Louis! It would have been an amazing experience, standing under her like that... You must have felt her truly towering above you!

As for the mess on the other picture, it is amazing how everything is restored at the end (hopefully within schedule!), looking perfect again after all this has been going on...

[peter ward]

My first trip on the  QE2 straight from nautical catering college was to rotterdam in 74 for the refit. on the port aft side there were two decks ripped away from the collision in cherbourg earlier in the year ..I have film of the gaping hole but its on the old cine format (can you get it changed over?) I also did the 78 refit in southampton ..they kept a skeleton crew on board to serve the workmen and do odd jobs etc..but spent a lot of the time in the pub across the road the'rovers return ' ..I also did the 79 refit in Bayonne ,New jersey ...4 weeks, absolutely freezing  at night when they turned off the electricity !

[Peter Mugridge]

Peter, yes - there are plenty of places which can puit ciné onto DVD; I believe Jessops is one of them - do you have a branch nearby?

[Lynda Bradford]

Peter, Have a look at this link that may be helpful.

http://www.jessops.com/dnp/FilmDVD

[peter ward]

thanks for that, I'll get onto it...cheers

[Bob C.]

This is a great shot.  It gives a good perspective on how much of the ship is below the waterline.

[Chris]

Louis, I am interested to know what it felt like for you and other members of the crew during the lead-up to 1994 refit - knowing that your ship was about to be changed so significantly? Were the goals of Project Lifestyle explained to the crew? Were you excited about the refit or sad to see the old interior go? QE2 really was changed forever thanks to the 1994 refit (a positive change in my opinion) however I am keen to hear from someone who was there about what it was like knowing your home away from home was being altered - in many cases she was unrecognisable as the "old" QE2.

[Louis De Sousa]

Chris thats a good question but i can only speak for myself.Even though we lived and worked on the ship our home was basically the decks below and that little changed over the years.The lead-up to the refit was nothing that special for the crew for some it was just another refit with leave paid and for others it was just another day that had to get by.I was onboard for the trip between New York and Hamburg with a skelton crew and loads of contractors that was one hell of a nightmare.Project Lifestyle was never shared with most of the crew and all what we knew was rumours or overheard talks between passengers and officers.I believe that more passengers knew what would be done it that refit than the actual crew.When the crew rejoined in Hamburg was briefing was laid out to us with a booklet about the changes.

Of course for the crew to have new working areas is something special, i remember when i arrived back onboard i went straight to new Mauretania Restaurant on Quarter Deck and saw my new Wine Dispense Bar with just naked walls i saw the lights been fitted out, the plumbing the fridges coming in the shelves been put in place etc i brought that bar to life that was such a honour.When the ship left Hamburg the bar was not even ready i worked my butt off bringing all that stock up from the decks below..And that was chaos trying the stock up all the bars and restaurants with a few service elevators you could wait up to an hour to get a space free in the elevator, my my when i think about it.

Then the ship arrives in Southampton passengers come onboard and hell brakes loose.And the crew still have to cope with it all the way to New York here the quayside was filled with media pressence, helicoptors, satelite vans and we were told not to speak to the media.

[highlander0108]

I have not seen this stunning photo before, of the re-engining and installation of the main structure of the new funnel.  Click on the image for full resolution.

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/from-the-cin-archives/5632-archives-qe-refit.html