Original Design vs. Final Appearance

[Jimmy Doyle]

Hi Everyone! Life-long enthusiast, although I was never able to step aboard QE2. I've always been curious about the decor of the ship. Obviously, it was groundbreaking when the ship first entered service, swinging 60's design and all. By the time she ended her career, I hate to say, but IMO some (not all!) areas of the ship had more of a retirement home vibe/decor. We know there are several reasons for the refits and changes over the years, but here is my question:

For those of you who were lucky enough to be on board, what was your favorite design era? What changes would you have made or avoided over the years? I've wondered what she would have looked like if her original configurations and designs had been "modernized" over time and not completely transformed. Ironic that some of her original spaces would fit right in with today's trends. Looking forward to your responses!

-Jimmy

[June Ingram]

Hi Jimmy - Welcome to The QE2 Story Forum.  It is great that you have joined us and you will find a great deal of information including photos of QE2 throughout her career.  In addition, your area of interest will no doubt draw out a great deal of conversation.  Have a look around The Forum to see the wealth of information that is here having to do with all things QE2 !  June   

[Lynda Bradford]

.....my question:

For those of you who were lucky enough to be on board, what was your favorite design era? What changes would you have made or avoided over the years? I've wondered what she would have looked like if her original configurations and designs had been "modernized" over time and not completely transformed. Ironic that some of her original spaces would fit right in with today's trends. Looking forward to your responses!

-Jimmy

Hello Jimmy, what a good introductory topic and a question that I am sure will generate many different answers. 

I saw around QE2 before she left Clydebank and for me the original 1960's decor is my favourite. I did not sail on the ship until 1997 when she had a completely different decor. 

Changes I would have avoided are the removal of the Double up Double Down Room connecting curved staircase, the removal of the lookout bar and the removal of the Upper Deck Library designed by Dennis Lennon, which became part of the Casino Area after 1972 refit. 

I know these changes were all made for good reasons, but if things could have been done differently I would have retained these areas. 

My interest in changes made to the ship, prompted me to look at what changes were made to the ship and when, which you can see on this topic.  Changes to QE2 Public Areas 1969 to 1996:
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,6682.msg70440.html#msg70440

Hope you enjoy reading the forum topics and contributing to the discussions. 
 

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hey Jimmy,

Welcome to the forum sir!

My interest with QE2 was primarily in her engineering and exterior design however being part of this forum has enlightened me to just how special and of the time she was as built.

As you say most if not all of her interiors would've been right back in vogue these days.

Hope you enjoy the forum - this is the one stop shop for everything QE2

Gav

[Lynda Bradford]

Hi Everyone! Life-long enthusiast, although I was never able to step aboard QE2. I've always been curious about the decor of the ship. Obviously, it was groundbreaking when the ship first entered service, swinging 60's design and all. By the time she ended her career, I hate to say, but IMO some (not all!) areas of the ship had more of a retirement home vibe/decor. We know there are several reasons for the refits and changes over the years, but here is my question:

For those of you who were lucky enough to be on board, what was your favorite design era? What changes would you have made or avoided over the years? I've wondered what she would have looked like if her original configurations and designs had been "modernized" over time and not completely transformed. Ironic that some of her original spaces would fit right in with today's trends. Looking forward to your responses!

-Jimmy

Jimmy asked the question "What was your favourite design era"  Mine was the swinging sixties design over the rather "retirement home" vibe when she was retired from service.

Looking forward to hearing about your favourite design era. 

[Thomas Hypher]

My favourite design era/configuration for QE2 would have to be the one I travelled on her with, each year between 2003 and 2008 inclusive - her final Cunard configuration besides small changes in those years. She was a comfortable, old "shoe" by that point and that was part of my parent's and my fondness for her and still is in my Dad's and my memories.

[June Ingram]

I like QE2 in all of her styles. But, I do have to admit that I fell in love with the QE2 of 1969 ! 

[pete cain]

Like June, I just loved QE2 in what ever guise, admitted in her later years she might've been mistaken as a
comfortable pair of slippers (nowt wrong with that). However , maybe the elder patrons of QE2 in later life
might just have been her swinging sixties mates, & they grew old together.
 I just wish that the current owners had the foresight to return her to the 60's style that they were bragging about oh so many years ago, give us all the chance to see her in her prime, she deserved better.

[Clydebuilt1971]

For some reason I was never a fan of the original QE2 (exterior) that came out in '69 UNTIL I joined this forum.

Not sure what changed my mind. I still like the guise in which she completed her sea going service although the revised funnel arrangement when she became a motor ship could make her look a little awkward from certain angles but the original slim funnel and uncluttered upper deck to my mind is just class.

Her interiors in '69 - goes without saying!!

Gav

[Chris Thompson]

I may have posted this in the wrong topic. This photo popped up in my FB feed, lovely picture of her before any additions.
I'm curious as to what is on Upper Deck aft above the pool, looks like Truck Trailers?

[Graham Taylor]

I may have posted this in the wrong topic. This photo popped up in my FB feed, lovely picture of her before any additions.
I'm curious as to what is on Upper Deck aft above the pool, looks like Truck Trailers?

When she was on refit she would often have containers craned aboard to sit on the open deck space either bringing onboard new furnishings, etc or to remove anything that had been ripped out for disposal. There appears to be some sort of clutter on the Boat Deck space, which could be refit detritus or badly stacked deck furniture.

[June Ingram]

QE2 is so beautifully slim and sleek in her pre-penthouse days.

[Rob Lightbody]

I may have posted this in the wrong topic. This photo popped up in my FB feed, lovely picture of her before any additions.
I'm curious as to what is on Upper Deck aft above the pool, looks like Truck Trailers?

its unlikely nowadays, but did the FB person happen to mention where the photo came from?

She was so amazing looking when new.  All that deck space!

[Chris Thompson]

Hi Rob, unfortunately there was no photo credit.

[Graham Taylor]

its unlikely nowadays, but did the FB person happen to mention where the photo came from?

She was so amazing looking when new.  All that deck space!

It’s a still shot taken by a company called Aerofilms, which was established after WW1 using methods learnt by wartime aerial observers of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. The company, from 1919-2006 has documented Britain from the air and the archive runs into well over 1.2 million records. The archive was jointly purchased in 2007 by English Heritage and the Scottish and Welsh equivalents with the specific purpose of creating a searchable digital resource online. Roughly 95,000 of the more important photos have been conserved and digitalised onto a web based resource called “Britain from Above”, which has spawned books and a TV Series. This archive is fully searchable either by adding search criteria into the fields or by using the map (which I find easier to navigate).

The link below is the original B&W aerial shot of QE2 taken in 1969. Getty Images have the picture within their own archives and state it was taken 1st January 1969.

https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW191249