Oh just some ramblings
And if l may, On her 2nd Maiden Voyage in 1987 we were returning from New York having sailed over on the Maiden Voyage of the NEW QE2
It would be our last night at sea before Southampton tomorrow . There still remained a great deal of work to be finished, indeed several hundred passengers wouldn't be allowed to embark on the next cruise
We were scheduled to dock at 5pm tomorrow. Tonight would be our last night in The Columbia. For some unknown reason the outward passengers were upgraded to The Columbia for the homeward crossing . Lovely though it was , and we all were arriving at the same time , l always preferred late sitting in the Mauretania.
I along with our table were allocated as you entered and went down the steps to the left a lovely window table , with two new waiters who really were lovely guys . There were only Four of us, a lovely couple Frank and Daphne Watcham, from Southend on sea and Eileen from York, all became friends until they passed away. Meals were fun and we didnt really care
In the main l had no complaints,It was all fun for me ,my cabin had no cold water for a few days and for that days l shaved using bottled water , others feard a lot worse, but generally, the Brits onboard were a happy bunch, The Americans were not.
Brian Hitchen from the Daily Express was onboard and interviewing some folks, l was asked a load of questions and had photos taken enjoying Afternoon tea , but alas the story never went any further .
As it happened we docked earlier than expected, Cunard had a free bar that day . lunch was a bit strange as they advanced the clocks during it as we sailed up the Solent and we all felt cheated out of an hour , l was out and about exploring and found one of the shell doors open with a crew member there , and how l was allowed l dont know, but l got a photo looking along the ships hull.
The glory days of the Boat train were still going , l was going back to London on it, customs was the worst i have ever experienced, i remember one official even checking my shirt pockets ( remember i was nearly18 years old )
A fellow passenger at the Captains Reception l was speaking to was an avid Royal Viking line passenger, he was going to sue Cunard, A nice American guy from Jacksonville, we kept in touch, he did sue and he was successful, He never said how much, and l was to polite to ask.
It was at that party l met an officer who went onto become a good friend, just how good is another story, But the following year l booked up for the 9 day med cruise in October and stayed with him prior to driving down with Pauline Sleigh the Capt Secretary. I made the comment in his local pub that i never had the onboard account charged to my credit card, all he said was "No and it never will be " sure enough I never had it charged.
My cabin steward for the life of me l can't remember anything about him, But thanks to him l acquired an in-room QE2 phone.
A friend Mick Lindsay from the World Ship Society who had met me on embarkation day had taken pictures of the sailaway along with the Princess Diana arrival and the attached is a pic of QE2 sailing up the Solent, he always said she looked spectacular.
The Boat train pulled away l grabbed a photo of the guy from TV who played the father of Michael J Fox and the SS Canberra was sailing off on her cruise that night.
It was a very memorable voyage for a great many reasons .
Topic: QE2's maiden transatlantic post re-engining 1987 (Read 1827 times)
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Sep 24, 2016, 10:45 PM