Ask the QE2's Captain (Commodore Ronald W Warwick)

[RMS Queen Elizabeth 2]

I'd like to ask Ron Warwick about this exchange between himself and Micky Arison! Circumstances and all that...

Didn't they get on? Come on spill.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

It could be that the whole story is just an urban legend! But imagine if it really happened... 

[Jan]

We sailed with Commodore Warwick many times and always found him and his wife Kim to be wonderful hosts at the various events held aboard.

I'd like to know what it was like to leave QE2 and make the transition aboard QM2? I know the affection that Commodore Warwick has for QE2 so it must have been hard to leave, despite the new role aboard the (then) world's largest ship.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The questions were submitted to Captain Warwick a while back, so we are looking forward to receiving his replies some time within the next month or so.

Meanwhile, it would be lovely if, between us, we could find some photos we took of him, to use on the web page that will contain his answers. Could you have a look please whether you have any pictures of him?

Thank you kindly.

[cunardqueen]

From the cabin cavalcade gathering on the Round UK farewell voyage.

** OLD DEAD LINK REMOVED **img16/1834/qe2lend306.jpg[/img]
At the Auction with Robert Lloyd, the painter who painted a most wonderful painting showing the QE2 in Liverpool
< old image removed >

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Excellent pictures, Myles -- thank you. Looking forward to some more

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

As announced in our end-of-year newsletter :

Ask the Captain
(update from Rob)

In February 2011, maritime author Chris Frame arranged for Commodore Ronald Warwick to answer questions posted by members of TheQE2Story's discussion forum. Thank you, Chris, for taking this on -- and our thanks too to Ron Warwick for the detailed and sometimes surprising responses to each of our questions.

Click the link to see what he had to say :

https://www.theqe2story.com/features/RonaldWarwick.html

For your comments, please return here and let us know what strikes you most!

[QE2forever]

Wow. Such an awesome read! So full of highly interesting informations. Well done Chris and everybody involved at TQS - and thank you Commodore Warwick!

And this made my day:
"I have often wondered where the rumours about cutting off the funnel came from. When the Carnival Corporation sold the ship there were quite a few stipulations written into the sale contract as to what could not be done to the the ship. One of them was that she could not be disfigured so I very much doubt if Carnival would have approved the lopping off of the funnel."

I am starting to breathe a bit better. Thank you Carnival for that.

[Peter Mugridge]

That's good; it also means they can't add that 200 foot long extra section or mess about by introducing the ultra long windows on the higher decks either doesn't it?

[Chris]

Thankfully none of the hideous plans that were talked about in 2008 came to fruition.

[Chris]

Commodore Warwick kindly allowed me to use his reply to my question in our new 50th anniversary QE2 book, which added to the excellent recollection that Rob Lightbody sent us of his time aboard QE2 in Dubai provides for a good insight as to the ship's time in Dubai.


Each chapter heading in the book has a quote that reflects the QE2's life as described in each chapter. The one for "The Long Sleep" chapter is from Rob which I thought was very fitting given his unique experience aboard the retired QE2.


Remarkable how when I first found Rob's website back in 1995 - who would have guessed how much the ship would influence our lives for years to come. Probably the same story for so many of us. What a ship!