Ocean liner vs Cruise ship

[RmsAquitania]

I think a true liner like QE2 from experience could handle a rough sea and be more comfortable to be on in a rough sea than one of the huge new-builds. plus with a true liner speed, as QE2 in the past has proved, she could frequently out-run  the bad weather. the large new builds seem to feel a rougher sea a lot more and they normally cant do their passengers a favour and  out-run the bad weather. A liner has speed - a cruise ship has not ! Just my opinion !

[Magic Pipe]

A liner has speed - a cruise ship has not ! Just my opinion !

No one would dispute that the QE2 and QM2 are faster than other cruise ships, but for the most part ocean liners of the past were much slower than the cruise ships of today.  It is only the few greyhounds that had the speed that many people today associate with ocean liners.

[Rob Lightbody]

Cunard has made the term 'ocean liner' confused.

But what we're talking about here, at TheQE2Story (well most of us anyway), is about the Express Transatlantic Ocean Liners - and particularly the proper Cunard Queens (until Cunard confused that term too) - The QM2 and QE2 are still with us, and QE1, QM1 and their predecessors (and rivals) were the inspiration for them.

[cunardqueen]

What was Canberra, a cruise ship or ocean liner ?
 And not forgetting the little Stefan Batory, she ploughed back and fore across the Atlantic. Was she a cruise ship on a liner run or a liner on a cruise ship run? Which begs the question is it size or speed or none of the above?
 Had it not been for QE2 l would have ended up either on Canberra or the Stefan Batory.

[Chris]

Canberra was an ocean liner, no doubt about it. She was designed for the Australian line voyages, and had all the traits of a liner. Britannia (1840) can be considered a liner, and she was tiny compared to today's cruise ships.

[Twynkle]

So - Being a bit self-centered here - am I the only one around these parts that is moderately happy in feeling somewhat confused - still?!

It seems important  (to me, and perhaps others too) that as QE2 qualifies as Liner, she needs to be referred to as such.
It seems important too, and I this know for sure, that the decision to invest in her was so that she could do both the regular Atlantic runs as well as be used for the purposes of cruising - A Dual Purpose ship.
As Skilly56 has said - QE2 was able to keep to time-schedules for over 40 years, just like clock-work - No mean feat, then or now.

What I really can't bear to hear or read is QE2 being called a 'cruise-ship'.
A ship that takes people on cruises - yes, definitely. And a battleship even!
But not a 'cruise-ship'.
Somehow this undermines her great reputation, one she thoroughly deserves.

[Chris]

Correct Rosie. QE2 was a dual-purpose liner.

[Rob Lightbody]

The ship that is credited with igniting the boom in Cruise Shipping that lasted from the 80s until now is the Norway, a converted Atlantic liner.  The incredibly famous (at the time) QE2, however, also played a large role in making/keeping cruising popular.  I don't really mind QE2 being called a cruise ship, because thats what made her so special compared to her predecessors - she could do both - but she is dual purpose as Chris says - Transatlantic Express Liner & Cruise Ship

[Peter Mugridge]

Rob, might not a good compromise be to refer to a dual purpose ship as a "cruise liner"?

[Chris]

 Absolutely Rob! All ocean liners could go cruising. Most were unsuccessful due to their liner traits (Mauretania, Queen Mary etc)... QE2 was such a success because she was a beautiful blend between liner strength, speed etc and cruise ship amenities such as lido decks, airconditioning and so on. Her 32ft draft was shallow enough to open up a number of ports, whereas Norway relied on Little Norway 1 & 2 quite often. QE2 and Norway were the link between the traditional passenger service and the Cruising revolution.

[Rob Lightbody]

Rob, might not a good compromise be to refer to a dual purpose ship as a "cruise liner"?

Yes, except that appears to be the commonly used term for a cruise ship nowadays!

[Peter Mugridge]

Then we must educate the ignoramus masses, Rob!

[cunardqueen]

A bit of fun, which ship does this refer to....

[Michael Gallagher]

Canberra or the first Oriana?

[Twynkle]

Or might it have referred to the majestic QE2 on her first world cruise, February 1975?